Kulgam gunman asked personal details, then killed 2 labourers

Srinagar: Preliminary investigation into the Kulgam attack in which two non-local labourers were killed revealed that the attacker conversed with the victims for around 10 minutes and asked about their personal details before opening fire.

Investigators said the attacker was in civvies, wearing a cap, and carried the weapons in a gunny bag, similar to the attacker who killed J&K Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi on July 22 in Anantnag district of southern Kashmir.

The incident took place around 8 pm on July 31, when an unidentified gunman opened fire at two non-local labourers around a brick kiln in Kelam village of Kulgam district. The two victims were identified as Bhupinder and Deepak from Chhattisgarh, who worked at brick kiln number 70-B and had arrived in the Valley over a month ago along with their family members.


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"He had conversed with them for around 10 minutes and asked about their personal details, where they were from and how much they earn. He carried the weapons in a gunny bag and opened fire from a rifle and a pistol as well," a senior official told ET.

Another official said a female relative of the victims had seen the attacker after he opened fire and even tried to chase him.

"The duo was sitting between two brick kilns when the attacker spoke with them and fled into the nearby orchards, as per the relative of the victims," he said.

He further stated that the attacker fired at least "two shots from a pistol and two from a rifle".

Officials are investigating the connection between the Anantnag and Kulgam attacks and probing whether the same "local militant" or "foreign infiltrator" was involved in the attacks.

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Following the attack, the police lodged a formal case and is examining technical evidence to establish the sequence of events and connect the dots. The armed forces have launched multiple cordon and search operations in the area and also detained, questioned and summoned several people in nearby areas.

"Our shops were ransacked and armed forces also directed the locals to ensure the safety of tenants, especially non-locals. And warned that if they can't keep the tenants safe, they should not give them accommodation," said a local pleading anonymity.

Hundreds of non-locals work in brick kilns across Kashmir and, as the apple harvest season has started, many of them work in the orchards. The authorities have urged all residents across the Valley to register their tenants with the local police station.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced ex-gratia relief of ₹10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased.

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting and directed all the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to conduct a comprehensive review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) established to protect labourers from outside J&K.