Six construction workers and a doctor were killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district last night. The terrorists opened fire on a camp housing workers of a private company, who were building a tunnel.

The area has been cordoned off by the army and police and a hunt is on to find the terrorists.

Both locals and non-locals were present at the campsite and at least two terrorists opened gunfire.

The victims were identified as Dr Shahnawaz, a resident of Nayidgam Kashmir’s Budgam, Gurmeet Singh from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Mohammad Haneef, Faheem Nasir, a safety manager, and Kaleem, were from Bihar, Anil Kumar Shukla, a mechanical manager from Madhya Pradesh, and Shashi Abrol, a designer from Jammu.

The attackers left behind an INSAS rifle. Also, two vehicles of the company were burnt in the incident. Police have stopped media from reaching the site of the attack. Journalists were not allowed to move beyond Manigam, 50 km from the attack site because of the ongoing search operation, the police said.

Newly-elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah called it a “dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers”. Mr Abdullah said, “These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed and 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones.”

Very sad news of a dastardly & cowardly attack on non-local labourers at Gagangir in Sonamarg region. These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed & 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on…

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 20, 2024

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, said “Full freedom has been given to the police, army, and security forces” and he “assured the people that those behind this despicable act will not go unpunished.”

I strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack on civilians in Gagangeer. I assure the people that those behind this despicable act will not go unpunished. We have given full freedom to J&K Police, Army and Security forces.

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) October 20, 2024

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on X, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. 

“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read.

“Acts like killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the general public are crimes against humanity. The whole country is united against this,” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said.

On Friday last week, the body of a labourer from Bihar was found in the Union Territory’s Shopian district with bullet injuries.

“He got a phone call while we were harvesting corn. He told us that he was going somewhere. When he did not return for some time, we went to look for him. We called his number which kept ringing, but there was no answer. Then we found his body,” a man who worked with him said.

The targeted killing from yesterday is one of the deadliest in recent times. The attack took place a few days after a government was sworn-in in the Union Territory. Omar Abdullah’s National Conference, which allied with Congress, won a majority and formed a government. Elections were held for the first time since 2014 and were significant after the removal of Article 370. 

Srinagar:

A doctor and five construction workers were killed when terrorists opened fire at a construction site at Gagangir in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, official sources said Sunday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack on non-local labourers “dastardly and cowardly”.

“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 terrorists had opened fire on a camp housing workers 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”.

Union minister NItin Gadkari has condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on X, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. 

“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read.

“I offer my humble tribute to the martyred labourers and extend my deepest condolences to their families during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured for a swift and full recovery,” he added.

Srinagar:

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and vice president of National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah will contest the upcoming Assembly elections from the Ganderbal constituency.

This announcement was made by Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a Lok Sabha member, and Nasir Aslam Wani, NC provincial president on Sunday in the presence of Omar Abdullah and Mian Altaf Ahmad, senior NC leader and MP from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency.

Omar Abdullah had come to Nuner village of Ganderbal district where Sayim Mustafa, a political activist joined the party.

Sayim Mustafa had unsuccessfully fought the Lok Sabha election for the Srinagar seat when Syed Ruhullah Mehdi defeated Sayim among other candidates.

Sunday’s announcement about Omar Abdullah deciding to fight the Assembly elections has negated his earlier statement that he would not stand for the elections as long as J&K remained a union territory.

Omar Abdullah served as the Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state from 2009 to 2015 and was also the president of his party. He is a three-time Lok Sabha MP and has represented the Assembly constituencies of Ganderbal (2008-2014) and Beerwah (2014-2019). He lost the 2002 Assembly elections to Qazi Mohammad Afzal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ganderbal.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already issued notice for the first phase of the 3-phased Assembly polls in J&K.

In the first phase, 24 Assembly segments spread in the Valley and the Jammu division will go to vote on September 18.

Voting for the second phase will take place on September 25 and for the last phase on October 1. Counting of votes will be held on October 4 and the entire poll process will be concluded by October 6.

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the BJP pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government.

The state came under the Governor’s rule and the then-governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the Assembly.

On August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated and J&K was bifurcated into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)