Houses of two LeT terrorists demolished in J&K's Anantnag hours after cop's killing

The demolitions were carried out less than 24 hours after Head Constable Aashiq Hussain Qureshi was shot dead at close range near the bustling Lal Chowk area of Anantnag while on duty.Demolished houses belonged to LeT terrorists Adil Thokar and Haroon GanaieThe houses of two active Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district were demolished by the authorities overnight, hours after a police head constable was shot dead in Anantnag during his patrolling duty. According to the sources, the demolished houses belonged to Adil Thokar, a resident of Guree in Bijbehara, and Haroon Ganaie, a resident of Hassanpora. Both have been identified by the security establishment as active LeT operatives, officials said.Sources also said that the demolition of the two residences was part of an intensified crackdown aimed at dismantling terror networks and destroying the logistical support infrastructure used by militants in the Kashmir Valley.The action was carried out during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, shortly after Head Constable Aashiq Hussain Qureshi, 35, was killed in a targeted attack at Lal Chowk in Anantnag on Wednesday afternoon. According to PTI reports, a lone terrorist opened fire on Hussain while he was deployed on security duty for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. The policeman succumbed to his injuries, triggering a massive security operation across the district.Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to track down the assailant. Additional reinforcements were deployed, and checkpoints were established at key locations across the district. Officials said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible. The attack comes amid heightened security across Jammu and Kashmir, with forces maintaining an intensified counter-terror grid following Operation Sindoor. The motive behind the killing is being investigated.Yesterday’s killing is being seen as the first major terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pahalgam attack last year that claimed 26 lives. In its aftermath, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure.- EndsPublished By: Shipra ParasharPublished On: Jul 23, 2026 13:00 IST