2 migrant workers from Chhattisgarh killed in Kashmir terror attack

Two labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot at point-blank range on Friday in the second terror attack witnessed in the Valley in July.

Bhupendra, one of the two deceased in the Kulgam terror attack.Bhupendra, one of the two deceased in the Kulgam terror attack.

The second brick kiln worker from Chhattisgarh, who was critically injured in Friday’s terror attack in south Kashmir, died at a Srinagar hospital on Saturday morning.

Two labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot at point-blank range in Kulgam’s Kilam village in the second terror attack witnessed in the Valley in July. While one of them, Deepak, died on the spot, the other, Bhupinder, was shifted to Government Medical College in Anantnag. After being operated on, he was referred to SKIMS Srinagar for specialised treatment. Bhupinder succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning, taking the death toll in the attack to two.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced Rs 10 lakh each as ex gratia relief to the families of the two workers.

Friday’s attack was the second terror attack in south Kashmir in the last 10 days and the first on migrant workers since October 2024. On July 22, a policeman posted with the Special Operations Group of J-K Police was killed after he was shot at point-blank range in Anantnag town.

In the last six years, more than 25 migrant workers have been killed in different parts of the Valley. The last targeted killing of migrant workers was on October 18, 2024, when militants killed Ashok Chauhan, a 30-year-old worker from Bihar. Two days later, a terror strike on the base camp of Z Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh highway left six migrant workers and a Kashmiri doctor dead.

Friday’s attack drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who heads law and order, said he had directed security forces “to step up their operations and eliminate the terrorists”.

While Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti condemned the “senseless acts of violence”, the ruling National Conference said it was “shocking to witness such gruesome killings in spite of the claims made on the security apparatus”.

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More

 

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