Migrant labourer shot dead in Budgam

SRINAGAR: A migrant labourer was killed while another was injured after terrorists opened fire at them in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir late on Thursday, police said.

Dilkhush Kumar, a resident of Arnia area of Bihar, and Rajan (who goes by one name), a resident of Punjab, were working at a brick kiln in Magraypora village of Chadoora area when they were shot at my terrorists at around 9.20 pm, a police spokesman said. The two were rushed to a nearby hospital where Kumar succumbed to injuries during treatment, the spokesperson added.

“In the attack, the duo received critical gunshot injuries and were immediately shifted to hospital for treatment. One of the injured, Dilkhush, succumbed to his injuries. The condition of the other labourer injured is stable,” the spokesman said.

“Terrorists fired upon 02 outside #labourers working in a Brick Kiln in Chadoora area of #Budgam. The duo was shifted to hospital for treatment where one among them# succumbed .@ J mu K mr Police ,” J&K police said on Twitter.

Following the attack on the labourers, police and army launched a joint operation to track down the terrorists, police said. A case was also registered.

A probe is underway and efforts are on to establish the circumstances which lead to the attack, police said.

The attack on the labourers came hours after a 26-year-old bank employee from Rajasthan was shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam district, sparking panic among migrant and Pandit communities.

Two days ago, a Kashmiri Pandit school teacher was gunned down in the same area, putting the region on edge and prompting Union home minister Amit Shah to convene an urgent meeting with national security adviser Ajit Doval and Research and Analysis Wing chief Samant Goel.

A string of targeted killings have rocked the Valley since March.