As investigations deepen into the Pahalgam terror attack, agencies have zeroed in on three suspected local handlers accused of aiding foreign terrorists in the deadly assault.
BY PC Bureau
April 27, 2025 — As investigations deepen into the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists in Baisaran, Kashmir, security agencies are hunting for three suspected local handlers believed to have facilitated the foreign terrorists involved.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack, triggering an intensified crackdown by Indian security forces. Investigators are now focusing on tracking and apprehending local operatives suspected of providing logistical support and critical ground assistance to the foreign assailants.
Preliminary findings have identified three suspects. Of them, Adil Hussain Thoker, 33, from Guree Bijbehara, is a postgraduate in Urdu and a former private teacher. He was reported missing by his family in 2018. Intelligence inputs suggest he illegally crossed into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) via the Attari Border on a visitor visa for arms training. After initially infiltrating back into Kashmir in 2021, reports now indicate he may have re-exfiltrated to PoK. Authorities believe he remains active across the border, aiding terror activities and possibly facilitating the Pahalgam attack.
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According to sources, these individuals, aged between 20 to 40 years, are actively aiding foreign terrorists from Pakistan by providing logistical and ground-level support. pic.twitter.com/rgmnIyYvbY— Amit Bhardwaj (@AmmyBhardwaj) April 26, 2025
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Adnan Shafi Dar, 20, from Wanduna Melhura, Zainapora, was a BA student who disappeared from his home on October 18, 2024 — the same day a non-local laborer was killed in his village. Dar had previously been detained for questioning by the Special Operations Group (SOG) earlier in 2024. Investigators now suspect he was recruited by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and may have been operating in the Zainapora and Bijbehara regions ahead of the Pahalgam incident.
Ahsan ul Haq Sheikh, 22, from Murran, Pulwama, was a third-year college student who went missing in June 2023 after leaving for a gym session. Investigations revealed he joined LeT/TRF on the day of his disappearance. Having already been named in a previous court case from 2022, Sheikh’s deep local knowledge and links to militant networks make him a key suspect in supporting the attackers.
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The probe is now centered on unraveling the trio’s communications with foreign terrorists, their role in reconnaissance, and their logistical contributions before the strike. Security agencies believe dismantling such local support networks is crucial to preventing future terror incidents in the Kashmir Valley.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend the suspects and any additional collaborators connected to the Pahalgam attack.
