The Z-Morh Tunnel on which the construction workers were working. (Photo: Creative Commons/Wikipedia)
Jammu: A major terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Ganderbal district resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, including a doctor and six construction workers. The incident occurred at a workers’ camp in Gagangir, a area close to the tourist destination of Sonamarg, where labourers were engaged in the construction of the strategically significant Z-Morh tunnel.
According to reports, the attack was carried out by terrorists who opened fire “indiscriminately” on the camp late Sunday night. The assault resulted in the immediate deaths of two individuals, with 10 others being hospitalized due to their injuries. Five of those hospitalized later succumbed to their wounds, bringing the total death toll to seven.
The victims included five migrant labourers from various states across India, one local Kashmiri worker, and a Kashmiri physician.
The seven deceased have been identified as Dr Shahnawaz from central Kashmir’s Budgam, Gurmeet Singh (30) from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Inder Yadav (35) from Bihar, Mohan Lal (30) and Jagtar Singh (30) from Jammu’s Kathua, Fayaz Ahmad Lone (26) and Zahoor Ahmad Lone from Kashmir.
The attack is part of a recent surge in violence against non-local workers in the region, which has seen an escalation since 2021.
The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack. Security forces, including the Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Jammu & Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), have launched a large-scale search operation to apprehend the perpetrators.
Two suspects, identified as Hurera and Khubaib, both believed to be moving between Ganderbal and Harwan, are currently being pursued by the security forces.
The Jammu & Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah, strongly condemned the attack and described it as “dastardly and cowardly”. In a post on X, Abdullah expressed his deep sorrow and extended condolences to the families of the victims. He emphasized that the workers were engaged in a key infrastructure project crucial for the region’s development.
He said [archived link]: “Very sad news of a dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers at Gagangir in Sonamarg region. These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. Two 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.”
The chief minister also said the casualty figure from the Gagangir attack is not final as there are a number of injured labourers, both local and migrants, and prayed for their speedy recovery.
The Union home minister, Amit Shah, also condemned the attack and labelled it a “cowardly” act of terrorism. Shah vowed that those responsible would face the “harshest” consequences from the country’s security forces.
Other politicians, including the Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, and the Peoples Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, also expressed their deep sorrow and condemnation of the attack.
The Z-Morh tunnel, on which the victims were working, is strategically significant for India’s defence. The 6.5-kilometre two-way tunnel links Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district and aims to provide all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir valley and Ladakh, which remains isolated for a significant part of the year due to heavy snowfall. This infrastructure is crucial for enhancing military operations and capabilities in Ladakh, which has disputed borders with both Pakistan and China, and has seen heightened tensions with the latter since 2020.
The attack in Ganderbal district, which is generally considered a peaceful area, marks the second assault on migrant workers since the inauguration of the new government in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir last week.
