Two migrant labourers Sufiyan and Usman were shot by terrorists in Mazhama area of Magam in Budgam district on Friday. This is the fourth such targeted attack on non-locals in Central Kashmir in the last 12 days. The injured person hailed from Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, according to an official
The injured men, Sofiyan Usman Malik, both 25, have been admitted to Jhelum Valley Medical College Hospital Bemina in Srinagar. Both are from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. They were taken to a hospital and were stated to be in stable condition. The injured labourers were working as daily wagers with the Jal Shakti Department.
Meanwhile, security forces have launched a large-scale search operation in Bandipora’s Panar area after terrorists fired on troops, the Indian Army reported on Saturda. The incident occurred on Friday evening when alert soldiers observed suspicious movement in the forested region and challenged the suspects, who responded by firing at them.
Additional forces were mobilized and a massive search operation was launched to track down the terrorists. Security forces, including Army, police, and paramilitary personnel, are working in coordination to cover the rugged terrain, using enhanced resources and manpower to intensify search efforts.
After receiving the information, security forces reached the spot and launched a search operation for the terrorists. The latest attack on non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir came 12 days after a Kashmiri doctor and six migrant workers were killed after terrorists opened fire at a construction site in the Sonamarg area of Ganderbal district.
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. The tunnel is a major infrastructure project in the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road and will ease movement of traffic. From Sonamarg to Jozila, it is a steep climb and lot of time is taken by the vehicles to negotiate this stretch.
Incidentally, this is the fifth attack by terrorists in the Kashmir Valley since the formation of an elected government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. It was on October 16 that Omar had taken oath as CM along with five of his ministerial colleagues. As such, it can be said that almost every third day after his swearing-in, there has been a terror attack in one part or the other of the Kashmir valley.
Political parties in the Valley condemned the attack with National Conference (NC) MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi asking “Why this sudden rise in these attacks immediately after the recent elections?” In a post on X, the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said, “Saddened by the news of the terrorist attack on civilians in Mazhama, Budgam. My sympathies and prayers with the victims and their families.”
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra strongly condemned the attack, terming it most unfortunate and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Karra urged the government to take effective measures to contain “such inhuman and shameful acts of cowardice”.
The Peoples’ Conference led by Sajad Lone said it was senseless violence. “We strongly condemn the cowardly attack on two innocent individuals — Sufiyan and Usman from Uttar Pradesh — who were shot at by militants in Budgam today. This senseless violence has left them injured and we pray for their quick recovery,” the party posted on X.
On October 28, three terrorists opened fire on an Army ambulance in Akhnoor area of Jammu region. However, all three terrorists were killed in the encounter that ensued with no casualty suffered by the security forces. However, a highly trained sniffer dog named Phantom had died as terrorists fired at him.
On October 24, two soldiers and two Army porters were killed while another porter and a soldier were injured in a militant attack on an Army vehicle six kilometres from the tourist hotspot Gulmarg. Earlier that day, terrorists shot at and injured Shubam Kumar, a labourer from Uttar Pradesh, in the Tral area of Pulwama district.
On October 20, a local doctor and six non-local labourers were gunned down by terrorists at a tunnel construction site in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal. A labourer from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Shopian district on October 18.
