J&K: Houses of two local LeT terrorists involved in Pahalgam terror attack demolished

The houses of LeT terrorists- Asif Sheikh in Tral, Pulwama district, and Adil Thoker in Bijbehara, Anantnag district, were razed to the ground apparently using explosives, several media outlets reported in Srinagar.

As per intelligence sources, Thokar, an Anantnag native who had travelled to Pakistan in 2018 via the Attari-Wagah border, served as a guide and logistics coordinator for Pakistani terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack.

Sheikh, who is a resident of Pulwama, is also suspected to be involved with the Islamist terror attack which killed 26 tourists, majorly Hindus.

Meanwhile, the Anantnag Police has announced a reward of Rs. 20 lakh for any input leading to the arrest of three LeT terrorists including Thokar, who are suspected to be orchestrating the terror attack in the Baisaran Valley on April 22.

The two other suspects are Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai.

All three militants are believed to be LeT terrorists.

The terror attack, which has drawn widespread condemnation from the world leaders, has led India and its arch-rival Pakistan to a fresh confrontation, a major one since the Pulwama terror attack which was backed by Pakistan-based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in 2019.

The Modi government has taken tit-for-tat diplomatic steps against Pakistan, suspending the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border with an immediate effect, cancelling Pakistani visas under SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, asking the Pakistani advisors to leave India within a week and reducing the overall strength of High Commissions to 30 from the existing 55 effective from May 1, 2025.

Promising a strong retaliation against Pakistan over one of the worst terror attacks that took place in the popular tourist spot in peak season of tourism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the terrorists and their backers will pay unimaginable costs for the attack on innocent tourists.

Addressing a rally in Bihar's Madhubani, Modi said: "From the soil of Bihar I tell the whole world that India will identify them and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the end of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished."

"Every effort will be made to ensure justice is done," he said, adding that the entire country is grieving the merciless killings.

"Some of the victims speak Bengali, some Kannada, some Marathi, some Gujarati, some  Oriya or some from the land of Bihar. Some lost their brother, some son, some life partner. But the attack is not just on the innocent tourists, but on the soul of India," he said, adding that India stands together in the face of terrorism.

"From Kargil to Kanyakumari we have the same anger, same grief," he said, adding that the terrorists dared to attack the soul of India.

He said whoever orchestrated and conspired this attack will be punished beyond their imagination and it is now time that the few remaining centres of terrorism are dismantled.

"Anyone who believes in humanity is with us," the PM said, thanking the world leaders for their support in the time of crisis.