SRINAGAR:A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), led by a senior Superintendent of Police, is en route to the site of a tragic attack in Gagangir, Jammu and Kashmir, where seven individuals, including a doctor and six construction workers, were killed Sunday evening. The attack occurred on Sunday evening at a tunnel construction site along the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Ganderbal district. The NIA is expected to arrive at the site by noon today to commence its investigation.
The victims, identified as Dr Shahnawaz from Budgam, Fayaz Ahmad Lone, and Zahoor Ahmad Lone from Kashmir, as well as migrant workers Gurmeet Singh, Inder Yadav, Mohan Lal, and Jagtar Singh, were attacked at their camp shortly after returning from work. The camp, established for the construction of the Z-Morh tunnel, was located on the Srinagar-Sonamarg road. Eyewitnesses stated that the attackers disrupted the camp’s electricity before opening fire.
This incident has shocked the region, which has seen relative peace in recent years. Authorities have linked the attack to the Resistance Front (TRF), a group associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Reports appearing in the media suggest the attack was premeditated, with one of the attackers, recently returned from Pakistan, conducting surveillance of the site. Officials noted that the attackers aimed to inflict maximum casualties, and preliminary reports suggest they conducted a recce of the tunnel’s entry and exit points before carrying out the assault.
The attack has garnered widespread condemnation, with leaders across the political spectrum expressing their sorrow and anger. Home Minister Amit Shah denounced the attack as an “act of cowardice” and vowed that those responsible would face the full force of the law. Shah conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, just days into his tenure, also condemned the violence, expressing his sadness over the targeting of unarmed workers involved in infrastructure development.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha assured the public that the perpetrators would be swiftly brought to justice, affirming that the region’s police and security forces had been granted full freedom to pursue those responsible.
The Ganderbal incident is the latest in a troubling pattern of attacks against migrant workers in Jammu and Kashmir. This year alone, there have been four such incidents. Days before this attack, the body of a 37-year-old labourer from Bihar was found in Shopian, while earlier in the year, two other non-locals were killed in separate incidents.
As the NIA team begins its investigation, the region remains on high alert. Security forces have cordoned off the area, and a manhunt is underway to track down the attackers.
