Second Non-Local Worker Dies After Kulgam Terror Attack, Death Toll Rises to Two

SRINAGAR, Aug 1: The non-local worker who was critically injured in a targeted terror attack in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, raising the death toll in the incident to two. The deceased has been identified as Bhopendra, a resident of Chhattisgarh, who had sustained bullet injuries to the chest during the attack. He was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment but later died. Earlier, another labourer, Deepak, also from Chhattisgarh, was killed on the spot when terrorists opened fire on the two workers in the Kelam area of Kulgam. Both victims were in their twenties and had travelled to Kashmir for work, officials said. The latest attack comes less than 10 days after terrorists allegedly shot dead a police officer in Anantnag town, highlighting renewed concerns over targeted killings in the Valley. In another similar incident on February 7, 2024, two non-local workers from Punjab—Amritpal Singh and Rohit Masih—were shot dead by a terrorist in Srinagar’s Shaheed Gunj area. Security forces have intensified search operations in and around the attack site to trace those responsible for the Kulgam attack. Investigations are underway.