Two local militants carried out attack on non-local labourers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian, police say

An injured non-local labourer being brought to SMHS hospital for treatment after he along with two others was shot at by militants in J&K`s Shopian, in Srinagar, Thursday, July 13, 2023. PTI Photo

Two local militants are believed to be behind the attack on three non-local labourers in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday, officials have said. The militants are affiliated with proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, they said.

Kashmir Police chief Vijay Kumar has directed personnel to apprehend those responsible for the attack as soon as possible, PTI reported.

Militants on Thursday shot at and injured three non-local labourers at Gagran village of the south Kashmir district. The injured labourers were identified as Anmol Kumar, Pintu Kumar Thakur and Heralal Yadav - all residents of Bihar's Supaul district.

Two masked men entered the first floor of a building at Gagran and fired on the three labourers.

The officials said on Friday that based on human and technical intelligence, the police believe two local Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants carried out the attack.

Officials said that raids are being carried out in adjoining villages and various parts of the district to nab the militants.

Many alleged militant associates have been picked up and their sustained questioning is underway, the officials said, adding that the police have got vital clues in the case.

Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar reviewed the overall security in the district, especially in areas where non-locals and members of the minority community reside, the officials said.

Security has been beefed up in such areas, they said.

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"Kumar directed the police to catch those responsible for the attack as soon as possible and bring them to justice," the officials said.

Thursday's firing incident was the second such attack on non-locals in Kashmir this year.

On May 29, a non-local civilian, identified as Deepu, was shot dead by militants in the Janglaat Mandi area of south Kashmir's Anantnag District.

Deepu, a resident of Udhampur district in the Jammu region, worked at a private circus in Anantnag.

Before that, on February 26, militants shot dead a man belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Achan area of Pulwama district. The victim was identified as Sanjay Sharma (40), a resident of Achan.

This year has so far witnessed fewer such incidents compared to last year.

Militants killed 29 civilians in Kashmir in 2022.

Of them, 21 were locals -- six Hindus, including three Kashmiri Pandits, and 15 Muslims, while eight were from other states.

Among the eight non-locals killed, two were Muslims while six were Hindus. (With inputs from PTI)