6 construction workers and doctor killed in cowardly terror attack in J&K

Six construction workers and a doctor were killed in a terror attack in J&K’s Ganderbal district last night. Terrorists opened fire on a camp of workers of a private company who were constructing a tunnel.

The area has been cordoned off by the Army and police and search for the terrorists is on.

Both locals and non-locals were present at the camp site and at least two terrorists opened fire.

The victims have been identified as Dr Shahnawaz, a resident of Budgam in Kashmir, Gurmeet Singh, Mohammad Hanif from Gurdaspur in Punjab, Safety Managers Faheem Nasir and Kaleem from Bihar, Mechanical Manager Anil Kumar Shukla from Madhya Pradesh and Designer Shashi Abrol from Jammu.

The attackers left behind an INSAS rifle. Also, two vehicles of the company were burnt in the incident. Police have barred the media from reaching the site of the attack. Police said journalists were not allowed to go beyond Manigam, 50 km from the site of the attack, due to the search operation.

Jammu and Kashmir’s newly elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called it a “cowardly and dastardly attack on non-local labourers”. “These people were working on a major infrastructure project in the area. 2 people have been killed and 2-3 others injured in this terror attack. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and offer my condolences to their loved ones,” Mr Abdullah said.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said “the police, army and security forces have been given a free hand” and assured “the people that those behind this heinous act will not be spared.”

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on Twitter, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a crucial infrastructure project. “I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu and Kashmir, who were engaged in a crucial infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read. “Acts such as killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the general public are crimes against humanity. The whole nation stands united against this,” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said. Last week on Friday, the body of a labourer from Bihar was found with gunshot wounds in the Union Territory’s Shopian district.

“He received a call while we were harvesting corn. He told us he was going somewhere. When he did not return for a while, we went to look for him. We called his number which kept ringing, but there was no response. Then we found his body,” said a person working with him. Yesterday’s targeted killing is one of the deadliest in recent times.

The attack took place a few days after the government was sworn in in the Union Territory. Omar Abdullah’s National Conference along with the Congress secured a majority and formed the government. The elections were held for the first time since 2014 and were important after the removal of Article 370.