Pulwama house of Dr Umer involved in Delhi blast demolished

Security forces on Friday demolished the Pulwama residence of Dr Umer un-Nabi, the man who allegedly drove the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 car used in the Delhi blast earlier this week. The explosion near the Red Fort on Monday night killed 13 people and left several others injured.

According to officials, security personnel reached Koil village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district early Friday and demolished the house in a “controlled explosion.” The area was cordoned off and nearby residents were evacuated before the structure was razed.

The demolition came days after the J&K Police announced the busting of a multi-state terror module and arrested seven individuals, including two doctors. Dr Umer, who had gone into hiding after the arrests, allegedly drove the explosives-laden vehicle to the Red Fort area and triggered the blast. His identity was later confirmed after DNA samples collected from the blast site matched those of his mother.

Locals said they heard a loud explosion as the house was demolished. Umer’s family includes his parents, brothers and a sister-in-law. As of late Friday evening, the J&K Police had not issued any statement regarding the demolition.

A senior police officer told The Tribune that the demolition was intended to send a strong deterrent message. “This is a clear message that terror is unacceptable and whosoever is involved will be dealt with strongly,” the officer said.

This is the second instance this year in which security forces have demolished homes belonging to families of individuals involved in terror attacks. Earlier, following the Pahalgam attack, several such demolitions across the Valley had sparked criticism from political leaders, who warned that punitive actions targeting families could lead to further alienation and urged authorities to differentiate between militants and civilians.

Reacting to the demolition, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the effectiveness of such actions in curbing terrorism. “If demolishing houses could have stopped terrorism, it should have stopped by now. After the Pahalgam houses were demolished, did it stop? My worry is that such steps only increase anger and resentment. But these decisions are not with us. Those who take such decisions should think whether these measures have truly been effective in combating terrorism,” he said.

Srinagar MP and National Conference leader Syed Aga Ruhullah criticised the action, saying, “Demolishing a home won’t deliver punishment; it will only inflict collective suffering.”

He added, “Making an entire family homeless during the harsh winter of Kashmir without evidence/court order, or any law linking them to the incident is an act of cruelty. It doesn’t bring justice to the innocent lives lost in the terror attack, nor does it achieve the ends of justice.”

Ruhullah urged that investigations be conducted strictly within the legal framework. “Mass detentions, coercive interrogations and illegal demolitions will not bring peace—they will drag Kashmir back by decades,” he said.

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that strict action will be taken. “We also want strict action to be taken, but it should be according to the law. Blowing up the residence of the accused, where his old parents live, and arresting his friends and the relatives, is against the law and it should not be done,” she said.