Terror’s Trail: Pahalgam Attack Suspects’ Homes Reduced to Rubble in Mysterious Blasts

In a dramatic turn of events following the Pahalgam terror attack, the homes of two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were destroyed in powerful blasts during a security forces’ operation late Thursday night in Jammu and Kashmir. The two militants — Adil Hussain Thokar from Bijbehara in Anantnag district and Asif Sheikh from Tral in Pulwama — are believed to be key players in the recent assault that left the region reeling.

Security forces were conducting search operations at both residences when explosives, reportedly pre-planted inside the houses, detonated. The resulting blasts completely razed the structures.

Adil Thokar has been identified as the prime accused and is now among the most wanted terrorists in the Valley, with the Anantnag Police offering a ₹20 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest. He had allegedly traveled to Pakistan in 2018 for terror training and returned to the Valley to act as a local guide for Pakistani operatives.

Asif Sheikh is believed to have been part of the larger conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also revealed the involvement of two Pakistani nationals — Hashim Musa and Ali Talha — both active in Kashmir and suspected of multiple assaults on security personnel and civilians.

Meanwhile, several locals and suspected overground workers are being interrogated as investigators piece together the full extent of the plot. The blasts mark a chilling escalation in the crackdown on terrorism in the Valley.