Pahalgam attack: Police intensify searches across Srinagar to dismantle terror-supporting infrastructure

As part of the ongoing crackdown on terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack, police on Saturday carried out searches at five locations in Srinagar, a PTI report said.

A spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Police said they have intensified searches across multiple locations in the city, with the aim to dismantle the terror-supporting infrastructure in the district.

The searches, according to the spokesperson, were part of the continuing action against terrorists associates of proscribed outfits and in furtherance of the investigation into cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The searches were conducted to seize arms, documents, digital devices etc., with the objective of evidence collection and intelligence gathering to detect and deter any conspiratorial or terrorist activity against the country's security, the PTI report added.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed and several injured when terrorists opened fire at Baisaran, a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22.

IC-814 hijack accused terrorist's house searched

Two days ago, police had carried out searches at 21 locations, including the residence of IC-814 hijack accused terrorist Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar alias Latrum, across Srinagar.

A team of police investigators carried out the searches early in the morning at the residence of Latrum, the self-styled chief of the Al-Umar terror outfit, and houses of 20 other terror accused, news agency PTI reported.

Latrum was released from prison, along with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, in exchange for the passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight 814 in 1999.

In March 2023, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached Latrum's house under the UAPA. The fugitive terrorist is believed to be operating from Pakistan after his release in 1999, the report said.

A spokesperson said the decisive action of the Jammu and Kashmir Police aims at dismantling the terror ecosystem in the Union Territory by identifying and taking legal action against individuals engaged in such anti-national and criminal activities, according to PTI.