Houses of two LeT ultras allegedly involved in Pahalgam terror attack demolished in Kashmir

Srinagar: Three days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam which left 26 civilians, mostly tourists dead, the residential houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants suspected to be involved in the assault were destroyed in separate incidents in south Kashmir’s Tral and Bijbehara areas.

According to reports, the house of Asif Sheikh in Tral (Pulwama) and that of Adil Thokar in Bijbehara (Anantnag) were razed, allegedly using explosives. However, no official statement has been issued regarding the demolitions.

The first incident occurred on Thursday night during a search operation in Bijbehara. Security forces were inspecting Thokar’s residence when explosives, reportedly already planted inside, detonated, reducing the structure to rubble.

On Friday, a similar operation in Moghama village of Tral led to the partial destruction of Sheikh’s house. During the search, security personnel spotted suspicious objects and wires protruding from a box. The team withdrew, and Army engineers later confirmed the presence of explosives. The materials were destroyed in place, resulting in a blast that damaged the house.

Both men are suspected of involvement in the April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam—one of Kashmir’s prime tourist spots. The massacre has drawn national outrage and reignited debates over the region’s security preparedness.

While the legal basis for the house demolitions remains unclear, the actions are widely seen as a stern response to the attack. Authorities have begun questioning local residents and suspected overground workers to gather more information, particularly regarding Sheikh and Thokar’s roles.

Thokar has been declared one of the most wanted terrorists in the case, with the Jammu and Kashmir Police offering a Rs 20 lakh reward for actionable intelligence leading to his arrest. Two Pakistani terrorists have also been listed among the prime suspects.

Thokar had legally traveled to Pakistan in 2018 via the Attari-Wagah border, where he is believed to have undergone training. He allegedly returned to Kashmir covertly last year and has since been acting as a guide and logistics handler for a group of “well-trained and battle-hardened” Pakistani terrorists involved in the recent attack.