The searches come at a tense time. The Daily Pioneer linked them to the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Mohammad Asif, alias Hashim Moosa, in the Central Kashmir district of Budgam. The Statesman described him as a former Pakistan Army commando-turned-LeT terrorist. Separately, two Pakistani terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Majalta area of Udhampur on September 17, while a third was reportedly injured but escaped. Officials have not said whether the Rajouri group is linked to that third terrorist.