Srinagar: A doctor and six labourers were killed in terror attack in J&K’s Ganderbal in a terrorist attack on a tunnel-construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Sunday, officials said.
The attack was carried out the attack when the labourers and other staff working on the tunnel project at Gund in Ganderbal had returned to their camp late in the evening, the officials said.
According to reports, the terrorists — believed to be at least two — opened indiscriminate fire on the group of labourers that included both locals and non-locals.
While two labourers died on the spot, four others and the doctor passed away during treatment, the officials said, adding that five people are undergoing treatment for injuries.
The deceased have been identified as Dr Shahnawaz, Faheem Nazir, Kaleem, Mohammad Hanif, Shashi Abrol, Anil Shukla and Gurmeet Singh.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down the attackers, the officials said.
Top security officials, including Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, V K Birdi, have reached the spot to assess the situation.
Condemning the terror attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said those involved in the dastardly terror attack will face the harshest response from our security forces.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also strongly condemned the attack. The incident came barely four days after he was sworn in as the chief minister of the Union Territory.
"The casualty figure from the Gagangir attack is not final as there are a number of injured labourers, both local and non-local. Praying that the injured make a full recovery as the more seriously injured are being referred to SKIMS, Srinagar," he said in a post on X.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while strongly condemning the heinous terror attack on civilians, said the J&K Police, Army and security forces have been given full freedom to ensure the perpetrators face consequences.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack.
"Unequivocally condemn this senseless act of violence against two labourers in Ganderbal. Deepest condolences to their families," she said in a post on X before the officials revised the death toll in the incident.