The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday released sketches of three terrorists who are believed to be part of a larger group of at least six members of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and its affiliate The Resistance Force, which took responsibility of Tuesday’s Pahalgam terror attack.
The main handler of the group of terrorists is Adil Thokar alias Adil Guri, a resident of Guri village of Anantnag. He had gone to Pakistan through the Wagah border in 2018 and was spotted in Jammu and Kashmir again since last year, said local police sources.
As per the postcard-size pencilled sketch, Adil wears the look of an ideologue and sports a thick beard.
Along with him is the profile sketch of Musa, a foreign terrorist of Pakistani origin. He is suspected to be involved in the ambush on an Army convoy in the Gulmarg sector of Jammu and Kashmir on October 25, 2024, that left four people, including two soldiers, dead. At least four terrorists were suspected to be involved in the Gulmarg terror attack.
In his sketch, also the size of a postcard, the J&K police have shown Musa sporting a beard and wearing a military chest pack that is meant to keep weapons, ammunition and communication gadget.
As per initial reports, the terrorists were wearing camouflage outfits to disguise as soldiers in uniform and were carrying AK-47 assault rifles.
The third one is that of Asif Sheikh — a local from Avantipura who acted as a guide to take them around for carrying out the audacious attack as well as for hiding and other logistic purposes, said local police sources.
His pencilled portrait showed him less bearded than his other accomplices, but holding an assault rifle in the right hand with a backpack resting on his shoulders.
There are at least three more LeT terrorists; the police is trying to ascertain credentials before they prepare and release their sketches for hunting them down for the biggest terror strike at tourists since the the Chittisinghpura massacre of 35 Sikh villagers on March 20, 2000, in the village of Chittisinghpura, Anantnag, on the eve of then US President Bill Clinton’s India visit.
The Pahalgam terror strike also happened when the US Vice-President JD Vance is in India along with his family.
L-G directs police
According to sources, Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of J&K, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday directed the police to swiftly bring those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to justice. This message was conveyed to ensure that directions passed by the Unjon Home Minister, Amit Shah, in Tuesday’s high-level meeting is conveyed to the State machinery.
The L-G is learnt to have told the meeting that the Home Minister has directed that all might must be used for the strongest possible action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack and the ecosystem of terrorism has to be completely dismantled.
“DCs and SSPs must take steps on the ground to restore a sense of security to the people and take care of their needs. I want to assure the nation that the scourge of terrorism will be fought with determination. All means and measures must be taken to avenge Pahalgam terror attack.”
Similar to Israeli attack
The modus operandi to target tourists in Pahalgam is akin to Hamas taking out lives of Israelis at a music festival on October 7, 2023, which snow balled into a major conflict between the two and continues till date.
Interestingly, Hamas spokesperson Khalid al-Qadoumi, addressed leaders and supporters of hardline Islamist leaders and terrorist outfits in February, this year, at Rawalakote in Pakistan, as per videos available at social media cites.
The event, that bore themes including ‘Kashmir solidarity’, was also attended by Talha Saif, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, Jaish commanders Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas. Security officials stated that the terrorists sparing women and children and targeting only men in Pahalgam incident was also a fallout of international condemnation of brutality committed by Hamas and Israeli forces. Reports of extreme violence against women in the Israel-Palestine conflict had generated global outrage.