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Updated at 11:15 PM
WEB DESK
A doctor and five construction workers were killed when terrorists opened fire at a construction site at Gagangir in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal on Sunday,reports NDTV quoting official sources said. The number of casualties can go up, sources said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack on non-local labourers “dastardly and cowardly”.
“The casualty figure from the Gagangir attack is not final as there are a number of injured labourers, both local & non-local. Praying that the injured make a full recovery as the more seriously injured are being referred to SKIMS, Srinagar,” Mr Abdullah posted on X.
The former chief minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti and MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali strongly condemned the killings of migrant workers in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
The leaders expressed their condolences with bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.
The terrorists had opened fire on a camp housing labourers of a private company, who were working on an under-construction tunnel in Gund area. The police and army have cordoned off the area to track the attackers.
A post from the X handle of Jammu and Kashmir Police read, “Terror incident in Gagangeer, Ganderbal. Area cordoned off by security forces. Further details shall follow”.
The labourer was identified as Ashok Chauhan and was living in Sangam area of Anantnag, officials said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing of a non-local labourer, saying the entire country is against such “inhuman and reprehensible” crimes.
“The killing of a labourer from Bihar by terrorists in Shopian, Kashmir is a very sad and cowardly criminal act. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” Gandhi had said in a post in Hindi on Facebook.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condemned the attack and called it “act of cowardice”.
“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,” Shah said