At least seven people, including a local doctor, were killed and four others were injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Sunday, just days after a new government was formed following a historic election.
The attack occurred near an under-construction tunnel, officials told news channel India Today.
Security forces immediately cordoned off the area.
A massive counter-operation has been launched to track down the terrorists responsible for the attack.
According to initial reports, the doctor and workers attacked were part of the construction team working on the Z-Morh tunnel, which connects Gaganeer to Sonamarg in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, the Indian news channel reported.
The deceased reportedly included non-local labourers.
Militants suspected to be two in number opened indiscriminate fire on the workers, resulting in two non-local labourers’ death on the spot, officials told UNI news agency.
Nine others, including a local doctor, sustained injuries. Five of the injured including the doctor later succumbed to their wounds, officials said.
Meanwhile, The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
TRF chief Sheikh Sajjad Gul is the mastermind of the attack and the group’s local module, at his behest, carried out the attack targeting Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris together for the first time, sources told India Today.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condoled the loss of lives and posted on X: “Very sad news of a dastardly & cowardly attack on non-local labourers at Gagangir in Sonamarg region. These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed & 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people & send my condolences to their loved ones.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted: “The dastardly terror attack on civilians in Gagangir, J&K, is a despicable act of cowardice. 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.”
The incident occurred just days after a new government was formed in the Union Territory.
Omar Abdullah’s National Conference, which allied with Congress, formed the government after winning the elections in the politically crucial UT where a regional poll was held after a decade.
This was the first time an election was held in the region since the Indian government removed Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.
