What's prime suspect Adil Thoker's student visa link to Pahalgam terror attack?

The Jammu and Kashmir police have formally named Adil Ahmed Thoker, a native of Gurre village in Bijbehara (Anantnag district), as one of the three prime suspects involved in the Pahalgam terror attack. The other two suspects named by the police are believed to be Pakistani nationals, Hashim Musa (Suleman) and Ali Bhai (Talha Bhai).

Days after the tragedy, it has now come to light that Thoker went to Pakistan on a student visa in 2018. According to a report by NDTV quoting intelligence officials, Thoker had already shown signs of being radicalised while he was still in India. While he was in his village, he is believed to have been in contact with persons linked to banned terrorist groups operating from Pakistan.

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After reaching Pakistan in 2018, Thoker disappeared, and he cut off all contact with his family. Intelligence agencies that were monitoring his digital footprint lost track of him for 8 months. Agents watching his home in Gurre also could not get any leads about what was happening.

Intelligence sources say he was undergoing ideological and paramilitary training during this period in Pakistan. He is supposed to have come under the influence of handlers linked to the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Return to India

Intelligence sources believe Thoker returned to India in October 2024 by crossing the Line of Control (LoC) through the Poonch-Rajouri sector. It is a region that is filled with steep hills and dense forests that make it very difficult for the security forces to patrol. This point in the border has allegedly been exploited in the past by terrorists to illegally cross over to India from Pakistan.

Thoker returned to India with a group of 3 or 4 persons, one of whom is a Pakistani citizen identified by the police as Hashim Musa (Suleman), another prime accused in the Pahalgam attack.

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Thoker stayed off the radar by moving around through forested and mountainous routes. He was detected once in Kishtwar before he probably moved to Anantnag.

In hiding for weeks

In Anantnag, Thoker remained in hiding for several weeks probably in forest encampments or remote village hideouts along with at least one of the Pakistani nationals, according to the intelligence sources.

It was during this time that he is suspected to have re-established contact with dormant terrorist cells. Officials opine that he was deciding on the best location and opportunity to carry out an attack that would yield maximum casualties and attract international attention.

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This was also the time when various tourist spots were being re-opened after the conclusion of the annual Amarnath Yatra. The Baisaran meadow that had earlier been closed to tourists for security reasons was re-opened in March 2025.

Security sources now believe that the group comprised of at least 5 terrorists. They came out of the dense pine forest that surrounds Baisaran with assault rifles, and dividing themselves into smaller groups, opened fire on the tourists. The entire attack is said to have lasted for less than 10 minutes.

Reward announced

The police have released sketches of at least three of the suspects, and have announced a reward of ₹20 lakh for information leading to their capture.

Security forces have launched a massive manhunt across the district of Anantnag, Pahalgam, and nearby forest regions.

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On Friday (April 25), the houses of Adil Ahmed Thoker, and Asif Sheikh, also believed to be involved in the attack, were being searched by security forces when an explosion damaged the structures in Bijbehara and Tral.

Explosives were supposedly found on the premises during the search operation, prompting the security forces to evacuate the occupants of the houses as well as neighbours to safety before they went off.