In a chilling act of violence, six construction workers and a doctor were killed during a terror attack late last night in Ganderbal district, Jammu & Kashmir. The attack targeted a camp housing workers involved in building a key infrastructure tunnel.
Authorities report that the terrorists, believed to be at least two in number, opened fire indiscriminately on the workers. Both local and non-local laborers were present at the site. Following the attack, the area was sealed off by security forces, and a manhunt is currently underway to capture the perpetrators.
Victims of the Attack
The victims have been identified as Dr. Shahnawaz from Budgam, Gurmeet Singh from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, and Mohammad Haneef, Faheem Nasir (safety manager), and Kaleem from Bihar. Anil Kumar Shukla, a mechanical manager from Madhya Pradesh, and Shashi Abrol, a designer from Jammu, also lost their lives in the incident.
The attackers fled, leaving behind an INSAS rifle, and set two vehicles on fire before escaping. Police have restricted media access to the site, blocking journalists at Manigam, about 50 kilometers from where the attack occurred, due to ongoing search operations.
Leaders Condemn the Attack
Jammu & Kashmir’s newly-elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack “cowardly” and expressed deep sorrow for the innocent lives lost. “These people were working on an essential infrastructure project. This attack on unarmed civilians is reprehensible,” Abdullah said, offering condolences to the families of the victims.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha assured the public that security forces have been given full freedom to bring the culprits to justice, emphasizing that such acts of terror will not go unpunished.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also condemned the attack in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He highlighted the importance of the project the workers were involved in and called the attack “horrific.” “Acts of violence against innocent civilians are crimes against humanity,” he stated.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi added that the nation stands united in the fight against terror, declaring that such violence will not be tolerated.
This tragic incident follows another grim discovery last Friday, where the bullet-ridden body of a laborer from Bihar was found in Shopian, underscoring the rising security challenges in the region.
