SRINAGAR: Suspected Pakistani terrorists shot dead six workers and a doctor in the biggest targeted attack on construction employees in more than three decades of violence in J&K — firing automatic weapons around 8.15 pm Sunday at a camp of a private company building a tunnel in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
The fatalities included Dr Shahnawaz from Budgam in central Kashmir; Gurmeet Singh (30) from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Inder Yadav (35) from Bihar; Mohan Lal (30) and Jagtar Singh (30) from Kathua in Jammu; Fayaz Ahmad Lone (26) and Zahoor Ahmad Lone from Kashmir.
Several others were wounded in the fifth targeted attack in Kashmir this year and the second since the new coalition government led by CM Omar Abdullah assumed office in J&K on October 16.
The attack was also the biggest in terms of fatalities in Kashmir this year, underscoring the disturbing trend of terrorists targeting civilians after the June 9 shooting at a pilgrim bus in Reasi district of Jammu region. Seven pilgrims, the driver, and the conductor died, while 41 others were wounded that day.
Omar, who represents Ganderbal assembly constituency, posted on X: “Very sad news of a dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers… The casualty figure from the Gagangir attack is not final as there are a number of injured labourers, both local & non-local.”
Sources said the camp was near the construction site of Apco Infratech, a UP-based firm building the 6.5 km Z-Morh tunnel for all-weather connectivity between Gagangir and the tourist hub of Sonamarg. The highway connects Kashmir valley with Ladakh. The project is slated to be inaugurated in the first week of November.
Union home minister Amit Shah condemned the killings and promised that those “involved in this heinous act will not be spared and will face the harshest response from our security forces”. “At this moment of immense grief, I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he posted on X.
Highways minister Nitin Gadkari also condemned the terrorist attack, saying the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project in Gagangir. “I offer my humble tribute to the martyred labourers and extend my deepest condolences to their families during this difficult time.”
So far, seven migrant workers have been killed in Kashmir this year. On Friday, the body of a 30-year-old man from Bihar’s Banka district was found riddled with bullets in a maize field in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. On April 8, a tourist cab driver from Delhi was critically wounded in Shopian, while a 35-year-old labourer from Bihar was shot dead in Anantnag on April 17. Earlier in February, two men from Punjab were killed in Srinagar.
Sources said the doctor and two workers died on the spot, while the others were rushed to a nearby hospital, where four more were pronounced dead. Five of the critically wounded were shifted to SKIMS hospital in Srinagar.
The Union territory recorded a surge in terrorist violence this summer, with 22 security fatalities since May 4 — 18 in Jammu and four in Kashmir. Speaking on the security situation, Army’s 15 Corps GoC Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said around 80 terrorists are active in the region.