Cracking down on terror following the Pahalgam attack, security forces have blown up at least nine houses belonging to families of those wanted for militancy in the Valley.
This has led political leaders in the Valley to call on authorities to exercise caution and to avoid “alienating people”.
The demolitions started Thursday night with the house of Lashkar-e-Taiba member Adil Ahmad Thoker’s family. Police said Thoker was one of those who carried out the Pahalgam attack, in which 25 tourists and a local man were killed on April 22.
Subsequently, the houses of families of several active militants in the Valley have been demolished.
On Friday, security forces blew up the house of another LeT member Ehsan-ul-Haq at Murran in Pulwama. Local residents said the massive explosion damaged the houses of at least 10 neighbours.
On Saturday night, a joint team of forces appeared at Naaz colony in north Kashmir’s Bandipora and asked residents to assemble in a nearby field. Then they blew up the house of Abdul Ahad Shergojri whose son, Jameel Ahmad, joined the militant ranks in 2016.
The house of Farooq Ahmad Tedwa’s family at Kalaroos in Kupwara was also blown up by police on Saturday. Tedwa had crossed over to Pakistan in 1990 for arms training and has not returned to India, according to officials.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.
