Srinagar, April 23: Security forces on Wednesday released a photograph and sketches of terrorists suspected to be responsible for the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed and several others were injured on Tuesday.

Three terrorists suspected to have carried out the dastardly attack have been identified as Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha.

The attackers, believed to be members of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam area, 6 kms away from Pahalgam town.

Security forces said at least five to six terrorists, wearing camouflage outfits and kurta pyjamas, came to Baisaran meadow from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran meadow and opened fire with AK-47 rifles.

The group included Pakistani terrorists, who infiltrated the Valley just days before the attack, Intelligence sources said.

Intelligence agencies have identified Saifullah Kasuri, alias Khalid, a top LeT commander, as the mastermind behind the massacre.

Security forces have launched a massive anti-terror operation and deployed helicopters to spot the terrorists who took advantage of the forest cover to flee the spot.

Preliminary forensic analysis and testimonies of survivors indicate that the terrorists used military grade weapons and advanced communication devices, which indicates definite external logistical support.

The probe also found that the terrorists wore body cams and helmet-mounted cameras to record the entire sequence of events.

The attackers came with full preparation and had stocked up dry fruits and medicines.

Sources said the terrorists also did a recce of Pahalgam with the help of some locals.

Eyewitnesses said that while two terrorists spoke in Pashto (indicating Pakistani origin), two of them were locals (Adil and Asif). The local terrorists are from Bijbhera and Tral.

The precision and planning of the attack also points to the involvement of trained handlers and not local amateurs.

According to Intelligence sources, digital footprints of the attackers were traced to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, strengthening cross-border terror link evidence.

Kolkata, April 23: The Calcutta High Court will hear the contempt petition against the West Bengal government in connection with the cash for job case on Wednesday.

The Calcutta High Court’s divisional bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi will hear the contempt petition against the state government for failing to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The state government is supposed to tell the court why it is taking so long to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also supposed to clarify to the same division bench on why their investigating officials have not yet completed the process of interrogation of those candidates who have already been identified as “tainted”.

Notably, the job losers’ protest in front of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) office continued for the third day on Wednesday. They are seeking the publication of lists segregating “genuine” and “tainted” candidates.

In a major development, the protesters allowed WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar, stuck in his office for the last 45 hours as all the entry and exit gates of the commission’s office were blocked since the beginning of their protests, to leave the office on Wednesday morning.

Last year, the bench had cancelled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs, which is the entire panel of WBSSC for 2016. The state government approached the Supreme Court challenging the order.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court division bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld the order of the Calcutta High Court last year and also accepted the observation that the entire panel had to be cancelled because of the state government and the commission’s failure to segregate the “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones.

Srinagar, April 23: A pall of gloom descended on Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as widespread condemnation and a complete protest shutdown followed the brutal killing of 16 people in Tuesday’s terror attack.

The 16 dead included 2 locals and 2 foreigners who were among the tourists caught in Tuesday’s deadly carnage by terrorists.

All trade, travel, industry, transport and educational institutions remained shut in the entire Valley on Wednesday after political, religious, social and professional organisations condemned the brutal killing of innocent people by terrorists in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon.

Horrifying details are now emerging about the beastly behaviour of the killers.

Eyewitnesses said the terrorists separated the men from the women and children.

The men were told to recite the ‘Kalima (A Muslim prayer)’. Those identified as non-Muslims were shot at point blank range while two locals, who reportedly protested against the brutal and inhuman behaviour of the killers were also shot dead.

Tourists mainly belonging to Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP and Gujarat were the victims of the terror attack.

Reports said the two locals had entered into an argument with the killers about their beastly behaviour of killing innocent civilians.

The dead include a Navy officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal of Haryana, who was married on April 16. An IB officer, Manish Ranjan from Bihar is also among the slain civilians.

The eyewitnesses said the survivors were so frightened and mortified that when the security forces reached the spot that is 6 kms from Pahalgam town, the survivors started weeping and wailing as the terrorists had also come wearing Indian Army fatigues.

The survivors calmed down only after the security personnel assured them that they were Indian security forces.

The carnage has shaken the conscience of the locals as protests, condemnation, candlelight marches and a widespread mourning descended on the Valley as the news of brutal, gruesome and cowardly massacre of innocent people spread here.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah chaired a high level security review meeting in Raj Bhawan here on Tuesday night.

HM Shah is visiting the terror attack site today morning.

A massive anti-terrorist operation has been started in Pahalgam to hunt down the killers of innocent people.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi reached New Delhi after cutting short his visit to Saudi Arabia.

Security in the entire J&K has been tightened in the wake of Tuesday’s attack, which is the worst ever terrorist attack after the Pulwama attack of 2019.

This is also the worst ever attack on tourists after separatist violence started here in 1990s.