A Tribal Family's House Demolished In North Kashmir's Border Village Post-Pahalgam Attack

On April 26, In a remote border village of Narikut, about 20 kilometres from Kupwara town in North Kashmir, a tribal Gujjar Mohammad Yaqoob Tedwa house was demolished by authorities. Fifteen members of Mohammad Yaqoob Tedwa’s family, including his elderly mother, young children, and his brother’s family are displaced.

Mohammad Yaqoob Tedwa said that "He was not at home when soldiers ordered his family out of the house under the pretext of an "investigation". He added, "They gave us no time to save anything. My son was getting married in two days. We had borrowed three and a half lakh rupees from neighbours and relatives to prepare for the wedding. We bought clothes, jewellery, and other things — and now everything has burnt to ashes."

This demolition is part of a crackdown across Kashmir in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists and one local were killed. Since then, authorities have razed at least nine houses belonging to suspected militants and alleged overground workers in South and North Kashmir. More than 500 raids have been conducted across the Valley in the past five days, with hundreds detained for questioning.

The crackdown has drawn criticism from political leaders across Kashmir. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said security forces must distinguish between “terrorists” and civilians while Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi said Kashmir and Kashmiris are facing “collective punishment. "