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Srinagar, April 26:Security forces in Kashmir have intensified operations against terrorist networks in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians earlier this week. As part of a sweeping crackdown, around 175 individuals have been detained for questioning across Anantnag district.
Police, in coordination with the Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other security agencies, launched massive cordon and search operations across south Kashmir. Additional mobile vehicle checkpoints were established at key locations to monitor movement, while intensive patrolling, ambushes, and searches were conducted, particularly in high-density forest belts believed to be used by terrorists.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Additional Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, was formed after the registration of an FIR into the Pahalgam killings. Investigators said that more than 150 people, including several pony operators present in and around the Baisaran meadows at the time of the attack, have been questioned. Digital evidence, including drone footage, is being secured for forensic analysis. Although no formal arrests have been made so far, police said several individuals continue to be examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, security forces have intensified their crackdown on terror infrastructure across south Kashmir. During a series of operations over the past 48 hours, residences of active Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives in Shopian, Pulwama, and Kulgam districts were damaged during controlled demolitions. The police confirmed that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found fitted inside the homes of militants, which were defused with the assistance of bomb disposal squads. The defusal operations caused significant damage to the structures.
Among those whose houses were damaged are Shahid Ahmed Kutte, active in Shopian for nearly four years; Zahid Ahmed in Kulgam’s Matalam area; Ahsan-ul-Haq from Pulwama’s Murran village, who reportedly received terror training in Pakistan in 2018; Ehsan Ahmad Sheikh, who has been active since mid-2023; and Haris Ahmad of Kachipora, Pulwama, who joined Lashkar-e-Taiba last year. In north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, an IED was also discovered and neutralized inside the house of another militant, Farooq Teedwa, in Narikoot Kalaroos, causing further structural damage.
These operations come a day after explosives were similarly discovered and neutralized at the residences of LeT operatives Adil Hussain Thoker and Asif Sheikh. Police said the crackdown was part of a broader effort to dismantle terror support systems and prevent further attacks.
In a significant move, police have released sketches of three terrorists wanted in connection with the Pahalgam attack: Pakistani nationals Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, along with local operative Adil Hussain Thoker. A reward of ₹20 lakh has been announced for any information leading to their arrests.
Security agencies have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Officials reiterated that efforts to root out terrorism would continue relentlessly until normalcy is fully restored in the region.
