Soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir on Friday blew up the family homes of two men who the police allege were among a gang that carried out the region鈥檚 deadliest attack against civilians for decades.
Indian security forces have launched a giant manhunt for those responsible for killing 26 men in Pahalgam on Tuesday.
The police say they are members of the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations.
They have issued wanted posters with sketches of three men: Indian national Adil Hussain Thoker, as well as Pakistani citizens Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa.
They are also searching for Indian citizen Ashif Sheikh.
Members of the two Indian fugitives鈥� immediate families were detained for questioning after the attack, the officer and their relatives said.
Sheikh鈥檚 sister Yasmeena said soldiers cordoned off the area around the house, in Kashmir鈥檚 southern Tral area, overnight from Thursday to Friday.
鈥極ne soldier climbed over the mud compound wall of our home, and climbed back after a while,鈥� said Yasmeena, who gave only one name.
鈥楢fter some time, a big frightening blast brought the house down. Everything inside is destroyed,鈥� she said, adding that no one was inside at the time.
A police officer said soldiers also destroyed Thokar鈥檚 family home in the neighbouring Bijbehara area in the same manner early Friday.
The police said they were part of a LeT faction called The Resistance Front (TRF).
鈥楤oth have been active for three to four years, and are part of TRF which is an offshoot of LeT,鈥� a police intelligence officer told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
鈥楾hey are wanted militants involved in earlier attacks as well on security forces,鈥� the officer added.
The police have offered a two million rupee ($23,500) bounty for information leading to each man鈥檚 arrest.
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