Kulgam attack mirrors Pahalgam: TRF-linked terrorists shoot dead two Hindu workers from Chhattisgarh after asking their names

 

In an attack drawing parallels with the Pahalgam Hindu massacre by Islamist terrorists, two Hindu migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot dead after terrorists in Kashmir. They asked their names and singled them out based on their Hindu identities at a brick kiln in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district before opening fire at them.

The attack took place around 8.30 pm in the Kelam area, about 20 km from Kulgam town.

According to officials, unidentified terrorists opened fire on migrant workers employed at the brick kiln. While one labourer died on the spot, the second succumbed to bullet injuries during treatment at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, on the morning of August 1.

 

 

The deceased have been identified as Deepak Ratre (24) and Bhopendra (28), both residents of Chhattisgarh.

 

According to local accounts and preliminary investigation, several migrant workers were present at the brick kiln when the attackers arrived. However, Deepak and Bhopendra were reportedly the only Hindu workers there. The assailants asked the workers their names before separating the two victims and shooting them, in what investigators suspect was a targeted attack.

Residents said they heard around 10 to 12 rounds of gunfire before the attackers fled under the cover of darkness.

Following the incident, security forces sealed nearly a two-kilometre radius around the crime scene and launched a massive search operation. Vehicles were checked through the night, while police and Army personnel intensified area domination and questioning of locals on Saturday.

Reports say two terrorists arrived on a motorcycle and are suspected to be affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy outfit of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba that has repeatedly targeted non-local civilians in Kashmir.

Investigators suspect the involvement of one local militant and one Pakistani terrorist. Initial suspicion has reportedly centred on Mohammad Latif, who is believed to have joined TRF last year.

Police teams are also examining CCTV footage from the brick kiln. Surveillance cameras had been installed at such sites following similar attacks on brick kilns in Kashmir over the past few years.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the killings and directed security forces to intensify operations to eliminate those responsible. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also denounced the attack and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the families of the deceased, in addition to the Rs 6 lakh immediate assistance already being provided by the Kulgam district administration.

The attack comes less than two weeks after terrorists targeted police personnel at Lal Chowk in Anantnag on July 22, killing a head constable deployed for the Amarnath Yatra. Security has since been strengthened across south Kashmir, including along the Amarnath pilgrimage route.

On 22 April 2025, Islamist militants linked to The Resistance Front (a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy) carried out a targeted terror attack in the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 civilians. The victims were all Hinds among the tourists by systematically asking victims their religion, demanding they recite the Islamic kalma, and in some cases checking for circumcision before shooting non-Muslims at close range in front of their families, while largely sparing women, children, and Muslims (except one local Kashmiri Muslim pony guide who tried to intervene). The victims included Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (on honeymoon), tech professional Bitan Adhikari, realtor Manjunath Rao, and others from states across India plus one Nepali.

Every year, an estimated 3 to 5 lakh migrant labourers travel to Jammu and Kashmir for seasonal work in construction, brick kilns, road projects, horticulture, agriculture, tourism and small industries. A large number of them come from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The latest attack is expected to raise fresh concerns over the security of non-local workers in the Valley.