2 truck drivers killed, 1 injured as militants set apple-laden vehicles on fire in J&K’s Shopian

SRINAGAR: In the fourth incident of attacks on non-locals within two weeks, unidentified gunmen shot dead two truck drivers transporting apple and injured another in Shopian district of southern Kashmir. J&K police officials claimed that unidentified gunmen intercepted two fruitladen trucks and a mobile vehicle in Chitragam village of Zainapora in Shopian and opened fire.

The vehicles were also burnt after the incident. One of the non-local drivers killed in the incident was identified as Ilyas Khan from Alwar in Rajasthan and the injured was identified as Jeevan Singh from Punjab. The identity of others is yet to be ascertained. Officials said police teams have been fanned out in the area to nab the culprits.

The killings are seen in context of revocation of special status of the state. Locals fear that the outsiders may buy land and settle in Kashmir, which will ultimately lead to demographic change. Few days before the passing of J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, in August, government had asked all non-local labourers and tourists to leave the Valley.


J&K police has blamed militants for the attacks on non-locals. On October 14, unidentified gunmen killed truck driver Shareif Khan from Rajasthan in Sundhu village of Shirmal in Shopian. Within 48 hours, brick kiln worker from Chhattisgarh, Sethi Kumar Sagar was killed in Nehama of Pulwama. On the same day, fruit trader Charanjit Singh from Punjab was killed and his associate was injured in Trenz area of Shopian.