Hunt intensifies for Kulgam attackers after migrant killings

Security forces intensified operations to trace terrorists who killed two migrant labourers in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered heightened security, while political leaders demanded a thorough probe and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced ex gratia relief

Srinagar: Security forces on Saturday intensified search operations to track down the assailants who killed two migrant labourers in Kulgam district a day ago, even as the ruling National Conference and opposition People’s Democratic Party called for a thorough probe into the incident.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting here with the police chief and others. He directed the security forces to intensify precise and high-impact operations to neutralise terrorists.

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Sinha directed all the deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police to conduct a comprehensive review of the standard operating procedures established to protect migrant labourers. Search operations have been intensified in south Kashmir areas to track down the attackers who shot the two labourers dead. Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and senior officials from police and other security forces visited the spot and reviewed the security situation, officials said.

Security has been heightened in other parts of the Valley, and checking and frisking of persons and vehicles have also been intensified, they said.

Two migrant labourers — Deepak Ratray and Bopinder, who were in their 20s and hailed from Chhattisgarh — were shot dead by terrorists at a brick kiln in the Kelam area of Kulgam district late on Friday evening.

The last rites of the deceased were performed at the Palpora area of the district in the presence of family members and senior officers from police and civil administration, officials said. Friday’s attack comes close on the heels of the killing of a policeman on Amarnath Yatra duty in Anantnag district on July 22, following which over 3,000 overground workers were detained.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah called for an investigation into the killing, indicating that such incidents happen in the Valley whenever a demand for statehood is raised. “I regret it. We do not even know who killed them. There should be an investigation, a fair probe into who the killers are,” Abdullah told reporters in Baramulla district.

Questioning the timing of the incident, the three-time chief minister said, “I don’t know why such incidents happen whenever we seek statehood.” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here that the killings were the result of a “security lapse”.

“This cycle must stop. Despite heavy security presence, which causes so much agony for locals, such incidents happen. In my view, there was a lapse in security somewhere,” Mehbooba said, demanding a probe.

She said the L-G administration, which looks after law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, needs to look into how the attack took place despite a large presence of security personnel deployed for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh each for the kin of the two migrant labourers. This is in addition to the immediate assistance of Rs 6 lakh each announced by the district administration. The chief minister also strongly condemned the dastardly killing of two labourers and expressed profound grief over the loss of innocent lives.

“He announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased. This will be in addition to the immediate assistance of Rs 6 lakh each to be provided by the district administration,” the Chief Minister’s Office said on X. Kashmir’s chief preacher Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and political parties have condemned the attack, terming it inhumane, barbaric and cowardly, and called for an end to violence.