Hunt for Pahalgam killers enters 7th day, 100 questioned as crackdown widens

SRINAGAR: Security forces pressed ahead with a massive manhunt in and around south Kashmir’s Pahalgam for the seventh straight day Tuesday, following the April 22 terrorist attack that killed 26 people.

Investigators have questioned more than 100 people, including local shopkeepers, pony handlers, and a zipline operator, as authorities intensify efforts to track down those behind the carnage. NIA is zeroing in on every detail, interviewing eyewitnesses and anyone present at the scene.

J&K police said they have stepped up a crackdown on terrorism infrastructure. On Tuesday, police attached immovable property belonging to Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo of Kralteng in Sopore — identified as a “designated terrorist under the UAPA” and a key Pakistan-based handler for the banned Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

“This move marks a major step in dismantling the support network of terrorism and sends a strong message to handlers operating from across the border,” police said.