Two migrant labourers were attacked by militants at a brick kiln in south Kashmir on Friday evening, leaving one dead and the other critically injured. The attack took place in the Kellam area of Kulgam district.
According to officials, militants opened fire on the two workers at the kiln, leaving both critically wounded. They were rushed to Government Medical College, Anantnag, where one of them, identified as Deepak Ratray, 24, son of Uma Shankar Ratray, was declared dead on arrival. The second worker, identified as Bhupender Kumar, sustained serious injuries and remains under treatment. Both men were residents of Chhattisgarh.
Security Forces Respond
Following the attack, security forces sealed off the area and launched a search operation to trace the assailants. As of the initial reports, no group had claimed responsibility, and further details about the weapons used or the attackers’ identities remained unavailable.
Jammu and Kashmir administration officials, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Sinha said the administration and the nation stood with the bereaved family, while wishing the injured worker a speedy recovery.
Part of a Wider Pattern
Friday’s attack marks the second major targeted killing in Kashmir within ten days. On July 22, India Reserve Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi was shot dead at point-blank range in Anantnag’s Lal Chowk area, an attack that had already prompted a heightened security response across south Kashmir.
Attacks targeting migrant workers and non-local labourers have recurred repeatedly in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and The Resistance Front have previously claimed or been linked to similar attacks on civilian sites, migrant labourers, truck drivers and political workers.
Migrant workers make up a large share of the workforce in Kashmir’s construction and development sectors, which has repeatedly put them in the path of such targeted violence.
A Hideout Found Just a Day Earlier
The Kulgam attack came a day after security forces uncovered a suspected terrorist hideout in the Bhangai forest area of Rajouri district. The hideout, found during a search operation in the Thanamandi sector on Thursday evening, was concealed in dense forest cover. Officials recovered ration supplies, including rice and instant noodles, along with other items believed to have been used by militants.
With security forces already conducting an active search operation in Kulgam, the coming days will determine whether authorities can trace those responsible before the pattern of attacks on migrant workers repeats again.
The proximity of two targeted killings within ten days, following the Rajouri hideout discovery, suggests security forces are bracing for a broader counter-terrorism push across south Kashmir.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
