Pahalgam attack fallout: More homes of Valley’s wanted blown up in crackdown on terror, leaders urge caution

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.

Kashmiri villagers inspect the debris of the blown-up home of an alleged terrorist at Murran village in Pulwama on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

A family member asked, “What is our fault? He left us long ago, leaving everyone behind. Where will we go now?”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called for avoiding any “misplaced action”.

“After the Pahalgam terror attack, there must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origin. People of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism and the murder of innocent people. They did this freely and spontaneously. It is time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people,” Abdullah said. “Punish the guilty, show them no mercy, but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage,” he said.

Omar’s statement came after former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP asked the Centre to distinguish “between a terrorist and a civilian”.

“The Government of India must tread with caution and carefully distinguish between terrorists and civilians following the recent Pahalgam attack. It must not alienate innocent people, especially those opposing terror,” she said.

“There are reports of thousands being arrested and scores of houses of common Kashmiris being demolished along with those of militants. Appeal to the government to direct the authorities to take care that innocent people are not made to feel the brunt as alienation aids terrorists’ goals of division and fear,” she said.

Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone said the recent protests over the Pahalgam terror attack showed a “fragile shift” in the Valley and he hoped the “precious gains are not frittered away”.

“There is a general feeling across the Valley that the whole family is being punished for the actions of one person… Using collectiveness to define criminality or terrorism is a curse and will never allow reconciliation and social introspection,” he said.

Hurriyat chairman and the Valley’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also urged the government “not to punish the innocent Kashmiri families”.

“While Kashmiris collectively condemn the heinous crime at Pahalgam, and it is imperative to bring its perpetrators to justice, indiscriminate arrests and videos circulating on social media of demolition of houses and neighbourhoods are disturbing and distressing,” the Mirwaiz said. “I urge the authorities that in seeking justice for the innocent victims not to punish innocent Kashmiri families.”

Late last year, the Supreme Court had held that demolishing the properties of citizens without following due process for the sole reason that they may be involved in a crime was contrary to the rule of law and had directed that officials indulging in such “high-handed actions” be made accountable.