Shillong: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the demolition of two houses belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in Anantnag. Authorities razed the homes between Wednesday and Thursday. This followed the death of Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, who was killed while on Yatra duty. The houses belonged to Adil Thokar and Haroon Rashid Ganaie.
Abdullah argued that retribution fails to fix the regional security crisis. He warned that bulldozing property and mass arrests only alienate the public. “I understand the anger of the police, but the Supreme Court has issued an order stating that summary action of this kind should not be taken,” the Chief Minister stated. He recalled how he intervened with the Central government to halt similar demolitions after the Pahalgam attack in April 2025.
The Chief Minister noted that the Pahalgam investigation revealed no local involvement in that strike. He believes relying solely on the Army, police, and CRPF is insufficient. Security forces must win public trust to end violence. Currently, police are searching for the suspects behind Qureshi’s death. Senior officers vowed to hunt down the killers.
Meanwhile, authorities detained over a thousand overground workers across the Kashmir Valley. Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, lashed out at these tactics on social media. She labeled the house demolitions as collective punishment. Mufti argued that such measures have no place in a democracy. She urged the Centre to pursue a humane path instead of tit for tat policies.
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