First Major Assault on Construction Workers in Decades
Doctor Among 7 employees of infra company Killed in terror attack
SUHAIL KHAN
GANDERBAL, Oct 21: A doctor was among seven employees of an infrastructure company who were attacked and killed in the first major incident targeting construction workers on a large infrastructure project in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Sunday evening.
Official sources told Kashmir Despatch that this deadliest attack occurred in a region that has seen little to no terrorist presence in the last decade.
They stated that this is the first major attack in the Valley targeting construction workers of a large infrastructure project. Ganderbal district, which has long been regarded as a peaceful area, has seen non-locals targeted for the first time in recent years.
Police sources told Kashmir Despatch that on Sunday evening, suspected terrorists opened fire on a camp set up by the construction company that is building the Z-Morh tunnel near Gagangir on the Srinagar-Sonamarg road. Sources said the men were having dinner when the attack took place.
Sources further reported that a large-scale search operation is currently being conducted by a joint team comprising the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army, and paramilitary forces in the Gagangier area of Ganderbal district. Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the premier agency responsible for investigating terror attacks, have also rushed to the scene.
The NIA team is being led by a Superintendent of Police rank officer from the agency’s regional branch in the Union Territory, said sources.
The killed workers included a doctor, mechanical in charge, safety in charge, planning department. The deceased have been identified as Gurmeet Singh from Gurdaspur, Punjab, Dr. Shahnawaz from Budgam, Anil Kumar Shukla, Faheem Nazir, Shashi Abrol, Mohd Hanief, and Kaleem.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from various political leaders. Home Minister Amit Shah described the attack as a “despicable act of cowardice,” assuring that those responsible will face severe repercussions. He extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured. Central minister Nitin Gadkari condemned the killings committed by the terrorists in a social media post.
“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent laborers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. I offer my humble tribute to the martyred laborers and extend my deepest condolences to their families during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured for a swift and full recovery,” Gadkari said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also condemned the attack, vowing that those behind it will not go unpunished. He stated that security forces have been given full authority to respond effectively to such threats.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah echoed these sentiments, labeling the attack as cowardly and expressing concern for the injured laborers, some of whom have been referred to SKIMS in Srinagar for treatment. Congress leader and the party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi also condemned the attack via a social media post.
“The killing of six civilians including five labourers in a cowardly terrorist attack in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir is highly condemnable. Acts like killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the general public are crimes against humanity. The whole country is united against this. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families and I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Gandhi said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) said it ‘strongly condemns the cowardly killing of two non local labourers’.
“It is very painful and unpardonable. We sympathise with the families of victims. Our forces shall punish the killers,” Congress Kashmir unit president Ravinder Sharma said in a social media post.
Kavinder Gupta, former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, condemned the incident and said Pakistan-backed terrorists are trying to rear their head in the region.
“Unequivocally condemn this senseless act of violence against two labourers in Ganderbal. Deepest condolences to their families,” said Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti in a social media post.
This tragic incident comes on the heels of rising concerns over targeted killings in the region, highlighted by the recent discovery of a laborer’s bullet-riddled body in Shopian district just days prior.
Meanwhile, amid tears and sobs, Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmed Dar was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard in Budgam’s Naidgam village. His funeral brought together the community in mourning, reflecting the profound loss felt by those who knew him.
Just two weeks ago, the atmosphere in Dr. Shahnawaz’s home was filled with laughter as hundreds gathered to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. In a heart-wrenching contrast, on Monday, cries of anger and anguish echoed through his Budgam residence and the surrounding streets, as the joy of the recent celebration swiftly transformed into deep sorrow.
Slogans of ‘Naara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is the greatest) resonated in the air as thousands came to pay their last respects to the 52-year-old doctor, tragically killed in a terrorist attack on Sunday in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. Alongside him, six laborers were gunned down by terrorists at a tunnel-construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, marking a devastating loss for the community.
People from Nayidgam in the Soibugh area of Budgam and neighboring regions gathered for Dr. Shahnawaz’s last rites. They participated in the prayer ceremony, offering their condolences and paying tribute to his life. Following the prayers, he was taken to his ancestral graveyard, where he was laid to rest amid religious slogans and heartfelt goodbyes.
Dr. Shahnawaz is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter, leaving behind a family grieving the loss of a beloved husband and father. He had been serving as a doctor at a tunnel construction site for APCO Infratech, the infrastructure company he was employed with, contributing to community welfare through his profession.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
