Terrorists who targeted construction firm possibly came from Pakistan via Gurez, then Bandipore, investigators believe

Seven employees, including a local doctor, of APCO Infratech were killed on Sunday when terrorists opened fire on their camp at the strategic Z-Morh tunnel, which connects Kangan town and Sonamarg tourist resort on the Srinagar-Leh national highway.

Police sources said that while they don’t have any credible leads into the attack as of now, they have picked up suspects from different parts of the district.

“Each police station in the area has rounded up suspects. They are being questioned to seek any credible lead that could help in a breakthrough,” a police source said.

Police sources said that more detentions are likely.

Police sources also said the attackers likely infiltrated into the Valley recently . “Our questioning of the survivors suggest that the attackers were not locals. There is a high likelihood that they were Pakistani terrorists who infiltrated into the Valley recently from the Gurez sector,” the police source said. A high mountain range to the rear of Kangan connects Gurez and Bandipore. “The militants seem to have escaped to the forests after the attack,” said a source.

As per the survivors, on Sunday evening, two men wearing woolen shawls appeared at the campsite of the Z-Morh tunnel and opened fire at multiple locations. While three of the deceased hailed from Bihar, one each hailed from Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu. A local doctor from central Kashmir’s Budgam was also among the dead.

The police and security forces are yet to issue a statement on the attack.