The initial investigation into the Kelam terror attack in Kulgam in which two labourers from Chhattisgarh were killed has pointed towards the involvement of a local terrorist associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the attack, police said.
Soon after the attack on Friday evening, police and the army arrived at the spot. According to initial findings, officials believe that only one terrorist was involved in the attack, though they have not ruled out the possibility of more terrorists being involved.
An official privy to the details said that eyewitnesses and family members of the two labourers told investigators that only one terrorist had barged into the brick kiln in the disguise of a civilian and then opened fire on the two labourers. “There were many labourers and even the owner present inside the brick kiln when a terrorist, disguised as a civilian, entered. After casually talking with the labourers, he opened fire on them and fled from the spot,” the officer said.
Officials suspect that the terrorist who opened fire on the labourers could be Lateef Bhat, who hails from Kulgam in south Kashmir. Officials said that Bhat became active last year and has been operating in south Kashmir for over a year. Though he was already on the police radar, the police have so far been unable to trace him. “We are also trying to find out whether Bhat was involved in the killing of the policeman in Anantnag,” said an officer.
{{/usCountry}}Officials suspect that the terrorist who opened fire on the labourers could be Lateef Bhat, who hails from Kulgam in south Kashmir. Officials said that Bhat became active last year and has been operating in south Kashmir for over a year. Though he was already on the police radar, the police have so far been unable to trace him. “We are also trying to find out whether Bhat was involved in the killing of the policeman in Anantnag,” said an officer.
{{/usCountry}}The two back-to-back attacks within a span of one week in south Kashmir, where security was on high alert due to the Amarnath Yatra, have shaken the security establishment. Officers are holding back-to-back review meetings in all four districts of South Kashmir.
On Saturday, J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar and instructed officials to conduct a comprehensive review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established to protect labourers from outside Jammu and Kashmir.
After the two attacks in South Kashmir — the first terror attacks since the Pahalgam terror attack last year in which 25 tourists were killed in Baisaran security across the Valley has been put on high alert, especially as there are a large number of non-locals working in the Valley, besides tourists present on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, the cremation of both labourers was done in the Valley itself after receiving consent from family members. J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah has announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh each for both labourers, who had come to Kashmir to earn their livelihood.
Following the attack, police are also reviewing the security of all brick kilns in the Valley, especially those where non-local people are working in large numbers.