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Visitors to the small bylane of Murran in Pulwama are first greeted by scattered blue pieces of glass all over the ground. Around 200 meters inside, the house that once belonged to wanted terrorist Ehsan Ul Haq now lies in ruins.
Locals told CNN-News18 that Indian Army personnel showed up on Friday evening, arriving in about 20 vehicles. The army emptied the whole lane, moving everyone out of their homes. Then, they carried out a controlled explosion to bring down the house.
“The entire lane was emptied. All of us were moved out. Their work went on for hours. At around 10:30, the house was brought down and the army left an hour later,” a neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, shared with CNN-News18.
Family Left Before Demolition Began
People living nearby said that Ehsan’s parents, his brother, and sister-in-law were staying in the Pulwama house. Ehsan himself has been missing for the past two years, they added.
When the forces arrived, the family quickly left the house without causing any trouble, according to the locals.
Damage to Nearby Houses
The demolition didn’t just affect Ehsan’s house. Around 10 to 15 houses nearby were also damaged. Some houses had broken windows and cracked walls, while a few others were more badly affected.
Udarshe Thokar’s house, which stands right next to Ehsan’s, suffered cracks in the front portion because of the blast. Thokar’s family shared with CNN-News18 that they are especially upset because their son’s wedding is scheduled just 10 days from now.
Outside, groups of women could be heard crying over the damage to their homes. One local woman said, “We are also paying the price for something we had no role in.”
Why Was the House Demolished?
Security agencies believe Ehsan Ul Haq was involved in helping Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Talha, also known as Ali Bhai, carry out the deadly Baisaran terror attack.
Both Musa and Talha are linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and have a reward of ₹20 lakh each on their heads announced by the police. The Baisaran attack targeted civilians and security forces at a famous tourist spot, raising fresh concerns about safety in the Kashmir Valley.
Crackdown on Other Terror Suspects Too
It wasn’t just Ehsan’s house that was brought down. Security forces have been taking action against other wanted suspects as well.
On Friday morning, they demolished the house of Asif Sheikh in Monghama, Tral. Sheikh is believed to be a local Lashkar commander who was previously wanted for the Sunjwan terror attack.
Adil Guree from Bijbehara, another suspect believed to have done reconnaissance work before the Baisaran attack, also had his family home torn down.
Late Friday night, more demolitions took place at the houses of Shabir Ahmad Kuttay in Chotipora, Shopian, and Zakir Ganie in Kulgam. Both are wanted in connection to terrorism-related activities.
Deadly Baisaran Killings Shock the Valley
The Baisaran attack left at least 26 people dead in one of the bloodiest terror strikes the region has seen since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
The attack happened at the Baisaran meadow, a popular tourist site in Kashmir, making it even more shocking.
India Responds with Strong Measures
Following the attack, India moved swiftly with a series of tough steps against Pakistan. New Delhi announced it was suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and shutting down the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari. It also suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani citizens and scaled down the number of officials at the Pakistani High Commission.
Pakistan, however, rejected India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. It warned that any effort to cut the water supply would be seen as an “act of war” and even threatened to suspend the 1972 Simla Agreement, which recognizes the Line of Control.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a strong message, saying terrorists would not be spared.
He declared that the government would go after terrorists “to the ends of the earth” and promised that every terrorist and their supporters would be “identified, tracked, and punished.”
