New Delhi:
Adil Ahmed Thoker, a native of Gurre village in Bijbehara, Anantnag, has emerged as one of the main suspects in the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives on April 22 in the popular Baisaran meadow. According to intelligence sources, Thoker had traveled to Pakistan on a student visa in 2018 and returned covertly in late 2024, accompanied by a group of three to four trained militants, including Pakistani national Hashim Musa alias Suleman.
From Student Visa to Terror Training
Before leaving India, Thoker was reportedly under the radar for radical leanings. Once in Pakistan, he cut ties with family and vanished from surveillance. Officials believe he underwent ideological indoctrination and paramilitary training, allegedly under the guidance of Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. He re-entered India through the Poonch-Rajouri sector, a notoriously porous stretch of the Line of Control (LoC).
Underground in Anantnag
After slipping into Jammu and Kashmir, Thoker is believed to have moved stealthily through forested routes, staying off-grid and sheltering at least one foreign terrorist. He reportedly re-established links with dormant terror cells and scouted targets, eventually selecting Baisaran, which had recently reopened to tourists post-Amarnath Yatra.
The April 22 Massacre
The attack unfolded swiftly on April 22 around 1:50 PM. A group of at least five terrorists emerged from dense woods surrounding Baisaran and opened fire on tourists. Survivors recount chilling moments when victims were questioned about their religion and asked to recite Islamic verses—those who failed were shot at close range, many in the head.
In under ten minutes, 25 tourists, a local pony operator, and two security personnel—one from the Navy and another from the Intelligence Bureau—were killed.
Manhunt Intensifies
Thoker, now formally named by the Jammu and Kashmir Police as a principal suspect, is wanted along with two Pakistani nationals—Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai. Sketches have been released, and a reward of ₹20 lakh has been announced for credible information leading to their arrest.
Security forces have launched sweeping operations across Anantnag, Pahalgam, and surrounding forests. On Thursday night, houses belonging to Thoker and another suspect, Asif Sheikh of Tral, were destroyed after explosives were found stored within—likely intended for future attacks or defense.
Sheikh, believed to have provided logistical or technical support, is under investigation.
Authorities continue to search for the attackers and are urging the public to come forward with any information. The Baisaran attack is being described as one of the most brutal acts of terror in Kashmir in recent years, designed to instill fear and attract global attention.
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