Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district have taken strong action following the killing of a policeman, demolishing the homes of two terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The development was made public on Thursday. According to officials, the houses belonging to terrorists Adil Thokar and Haroon Rashid Ganai were razed to the ground overnight between Wednesday and Thursday.
The action was carried out just hours after terrorists shot dead a policeman in Anantnag's Lal Chowk. Head Constable Ashiq Hussain was on security duty for the Amarnath Yatra at the time he was killed.
Authorities have demolished the homes of terrorists in Kashmir before, but such action had been on hold for nearly a year owing to a decline in violent incidents in the region.
In recent years, officials have taken action against several homes and properties that were alleged to be linked to active terrorists or used to shelter militants, store weapons, or facilitate terrorist activities.
However, the administration's policy has drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil rights organisations, who argue that demolishing homes amounts to collective punishment, as it also affects family members who have not been accused of any crime.
Following the policeman's killing in Anantnag, Srinagar Police have launched an extensive search and raid operation across various parts of the district to crack down on networks supporting terrorism. During the operation, around 700 suspected "Over Ground Workers" (OGWs) were taken into custody.
According to police, the primary objective of the operation is to identify and dismantle terrorist networks through which logistical support, financial aid, communication, transport, safe hideouts and other forms of assistance are provided to terrorist organisations.
Extensive search operations were also carried out at several locations across the district to gather evidence, confirm the identity of suspects, and thwart any unlawful attempts by terrorist outfits or their support networks.