Targeted Attack in Kulgam Leaves Non-Local Dead, 1 Injured

Srinagar: The spectre of targeted killings resurfaced in Kashmir on Friday after suspected militants opened fire on two non-local labourers in the Kelam area of southern Kulgam district, killing one of them and critically injuring the other. The attack has once again raised concerns over the safety of migrant workers, who have repeatedly come under militant attacks in the Valley in recent years.

According to police officials, unknown gunmen fired at the two labourers in Kelam, leaving both grievously injured. The victims were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, one of the injured labourers succumbed to his injuries soon after arrival, while the second victim remains under medical care and is undergoing surgery at Anantnag's Government Medical College Hospital, officials said. The identity and native place of the victims were being ascertained at the time of filing this report.

The attack triggered a massive security response in the area. Police and security forces rushed to the spot, sealed off the locality and launched an extensive search operation to track down the assailants. Additional forces were deployed across the region to prevent any further untoward incident and to aid the ongoing investigations.

The latest attack has revived memories of a series of targeted killings that have periodically shaken Kashmir in the past, particularly those aimed at non-local labourers, migrant workers and members of minority communities. Militants have repeatedly sought to create fear among the non-local workforce employed across Kashmir’s construction, horticulture, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. Several labourers from different states have been killed or injured in similar attacks in recent years, prompting heightened security measures and concerns over the vulnerability of migrant workers whose presence is crucial to the Valley’s economy and development activities.

The killing also comes amid heightened counter-terror vigilance in Jammu and Kashmir following the recent assassination of India Reserve Police (IRP) head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi. Earlier this month, Qureshi was shot dead in a chilling “shoot-and-scoot” attack by a lone gunman in the busy Lal Chowk-Acchabal Adda area of Anantnag, nearly 55 kilometres south of Srinagar. The attack occurred in a crowded commercial hub, sending shockwaves across the region and prompting an immediate security crackdown. The Resistance Front (TRF), which security agencies describe as a proxy outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), later claimed responsibility for the killing through a social media post.

In the aftermath of that attack, security agencies intensified anti-militancy operations across south Kashmir. Authorities demolished the family houses of two alleged LeT militants in Anantnag district, while more than 2,500 former militants and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were detained for questioning and verification as part of a large-scale security exercise. Officials said the operations were aimed at preventing further militant strikes, gathering actionable intelligence and dismantling support networks that could facilitate attacks on security personnel and civilians.

Friday’s attack in Kulgam is likely to further intensify security operations as authorities seek to prevent a resurgence of targeted killings that had once spread fear among civilians, migrant workers and minority communities across the Valley. Security agencies believe such attacks are intended not only to inflict casualties but also to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and disrupt normalcy in the region.

The victims, who were employed at Brick Kiln No. 70-B in Kelam, have been identified as Deepak Ratray (24), son of Uma Shankar Ratray, and Bhupendra (28), son of Dastat, both residents of Chhattisgarh.

According to police, Deepak Ratray was declared brought dead on arrival at the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Anantnag. Bhupendra, who sustained serious injuries in the attack, is currently undergoing treatment, a police official said.

Authorities said both the labourers targeted in the attack were residents of Chhattisgarh.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha strongly condemned the terror attack. In a post on 'X', Sinha said he had spoken with Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and other senior security officials and directed security forces to intensify anti-terror operations to hunt down those responsible.

“I strongly condemn this cowardly terrorist attack on non-local labourers in Kulgam. I have directed the security forces to intensify operations and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” the Lt. Governor said. He added that police and security forces had cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation. Sinha also said the injured labourer had been shifted to hospital for specialised treatment and expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family while praying for the speedy recovery of the survivor. “The J&K Administration and the entire nation stand firmly with the affected families during this difficult time,” he said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack, describing it as a barbaric act of violence aimed at disturbing peace and normalcy in the Valley. Expressing grief over the killing of the labourer, Abdullah conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and wished a speedy recovery to the injured worker. He said such acts of terror have no place in society and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms, while asserting that those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice.