• Source:JND
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Pahalgam Attack: The authorities in Kashmir have razed the houses of three more suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in parts of South Kashmir including Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts. The demolition of the houses of terrorists has been seen as a crackdown on terrorism in the Valley days after the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists on April 22.

This came a day after houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, including that of the Pahalgam terror attack's prime suspect, were destroyed in an IED explosion. It is being reported that the explosives stored in the houses went off during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

The three terrorists, whose houses have been demolished on Friday night, include Ahsan ul Haq Sheikh, Shahid Ahmed Kuttay and Zakir Ahmad Ganie. Ahsan ul Haq Sheikh, living in the Muran area of Pulwama district, was reportedly trained in Pakistan in 2018 and recently infiltrated into Kashmir.

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Shahid Ahmed Kuttay of the Shopian district, has been identified as an active Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander. As per the officials, Kuttay, active for the past three to four years, has been involved in many anti-national activities. Meanwhile, Zakir Ahmad Ganie of Kulgam district, has been active since 2023 and was under surveillance for his alleged involvement in multiple terror-related activities.

With this, five residences of alleged terrorists have been razed in Kashmir in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, which took place on April 22. 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists, reportedly after asking their religious identity. An offshoot of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, "The Resistance Front" (TRF), has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

On Friday, the houses of Aadil Hussain Thokar, accused of helping in the execution of the Pahalgam bloodbath, and Asif Sheikh, also believed to be involved in the attack, were being searched by security forces when an explosion damaged the structures in Anantnag district's Bijbehara and Pulwama district's Tral region.

Explosives were reportedly found on the premises during the search operation, prompting the security forces to evacuate the occupants of the houses as well as neighbours to safety before they went off.

Pahalgam Attack: India's Crackdown On Terrorism

Security forces continued their searches at homes and forests for terrorists in Kashmir on Friday after the Pahalgam attack, the worst attack on civilians in nearly two decades. Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday visited Srinagar to review the security arrangements in the Valley.

In view of the cross-border linkages to the Pahalgam attack, India on Wednesday announced a raft of punitive measures, including the suspension of the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, closing of the Attari land-border crossing and the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches. India also asked all Pakistanis who entered the country via the Attari land border to leave by May 1.

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In its response, Pakistan on Thursday announced shutting its airspace to all Indian airlines and suspended trade with New Delhi, including through third countries. Pakistan also rejected India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and said any measures to stop the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the pact would be seen as an "act of war".