Srinagar, Apr 26 (V7N)- A top commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Altaf Lali, has been killed in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police as part of the ongoing crackdown on those behind the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, India Today reported.

The operation took place early Friday (April 25) morning in Bandipora district after specific intelligence pinpointed the presence of terrorists. During the encounter, Altaf Lali was neutralized. One of the other terrorists being pursued was reported injured, while two Indian policemen also sustained injuries in the exchange of fire.

Following the incident, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Srinagar, where he was briefed on the ongoing counter-terror operations. He is scheduled to conduct a detailed security assessment and review progress in the effort to eliminate LeT operatives linked to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam.

In a parallel crackdown, security forces demolished the homes of two suspects believed to have been directly involved in planning the Pahalgam attack. The residence of Adil Hussain Thokar, a known Lashkar militant, in Bijbehara, was destroyed using an improvised explosive device (IED). Separately, the house of Asif Sheikh in Tral was bulldozed.

Authorities believe that Adil Thokar played a central role in coordinating the deadly assault carried out by Pakistani terrorists in Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam—one of the worst attacks in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.

The intensified action by Indian forces follows growing public outrage and diplomatic tensions with Pakistan, which has denied involvement and described the assailants as "freedom fighters". However, the Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy group for Lashkar-e-Taiba—has claimed responsibility for the attack.

With high-level security reviews and active operations underway, the Indian government has reiterated its determination to bring all those involved in the Pahalgam massacre to justice.

END/MSS/AJ