Srinagar, Aug 1 (IANS) The death toll in Friday’s terrorist attack in Kellam village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district rose to two on Saturday as authorities said the second injured labourer from Chhattisgarh succumbed to critical injuries in a Srinagar hospital in the morning.

The deceased have been identified as Deepak Rattray (24) son of Uma Shankar, and Bopinder (28) son of Dasrar, both residents of Chhattisgarh working as migrant labourers in a brick kiln in Kellam village of Kulgam district.

Officials said Bopinder was shifted from government medical college in Anantnag town to super speciality Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura in Srinagar city late last evening in a critical condition.

“He passed away in the morning in SKIMS today”, an official said.

Terrorists on Friday evening shot and critically injured two non-local brick kiln labourers in Kellam village by firing at them from a close range in a hit and run attack.

Both injured labourers were shifted to the government medical college hospital in Anantnag town where one of the injured, Deepak succumbed to critical bullet injuries while doctors referred the other injured, Bopinder to SKIMS for specialised treatment.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said on X yesterday, “I spoke with the DGP, Nalin Prabhat, and top security officials following the brutal terrorist attack in Kulgam in which a labourer from Chhattisgarh was killed. I strongly condemn this cowardly act. I have directed our security forces to step up their operations and eliminate the terrorists.

“J&K Police and Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Another injured labourer from Chhattisgarh has been rushed to the hospital for urgent medical care.

“My deepest condolences to the bereaved family, and I am praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. J&K administration and the entire nation stand with the families.”

The attack has been widely condemned by local political and religious leaders.

Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track the attackers.

The incident follows a heightened state of counter-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley in response to recent terrorist violence.

On July 22, terrorists killed the J&K Armed Police Head Constable, Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, while he was deployed on Yatra duty in Anantnag town.

–IANS

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