Migrant worker shot dead in Kashmir terror attack

Amrez, a weaver, who hailed from Madhepura in Bihar, was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the police said.

Terrorists shot dead a migrant worker in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, officials said on Friday, the latest in a series of targeted killings.

A day after four soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack, army personnel pay tributes to the deceased, in Jammu on Friday. (ANI)

Shortly after midnight, the terrorists fired upon 19-year-old Mohammad Amrez in Soadnara Sumbal area of the district, officials said.

“During intervening night, terrorists fired upon and injured one outside labourer Mohd Amrez,” the Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a tweet.

Amrez, a weaver, who hailed from Madhepura in Bihar, was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the police said.

Mohammad Tamheed, who identified himself as Amrez’s brother, said they were sleeping when they heard gunshots around 12.20am.

“We were sleeping and it was 12.20am when my younger brother woke me up, saying some shots were fired. I told him such things happen, so sleep. But he told me that he will take a look as Amrez was not in the room,” Tamheed said.

“He went downstairs and saw him (Amrez) covered in blood. We called the Army. They came and took him to Hajin hospital where he was given two injections and then shifted to Srinagar hospital but he died on way to hospital,” he said.

The attack soon after four soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed and two more were injured on Thursday when the Indian Army repelled a “fidayeen” attack in which two terrorists attempted to storm an army camp hours after midnight at Pargal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.

The two terrorists were shot dead and their attempt to penetrate the camp was foiled. They were believed to be from the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), director general of police Dilbag Singh said.

Tamheed and Amrez’s colleagues have appealed to the government to help them take his body back to Bihar.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party leader and former MLA of Bandipora Usman Majid condemned the attack.

“I strongly condemn the killing of non-local labourer Mohd Amrez.... Killing innocents is in no way bravery, but a pure cowardly attack which deserves the highest form of condemnation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” he tweeted.

In a separate incident, a policeman was injured on Friday afternoon when terrorists attacked a team of security personnel in Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said.

“Terrorists fired upon joint naka party of police/CRPF in Bijbehara area of Anantnag,” the Kashmir Zone Police wrote on Twitter.

A policeman sustained injuries in the attack and was rushed to a hospital for treatment, the police said.

The area has been cordoned off and a search is in progress, they added.

Amrez is the fourth non-local to be killed in a targeted attack in Kashmir this year. A total of 14 civilians and six security personnel have been killed in targeted attacks this year.

Two non-local labourers have been killed so far in August.

On August 4, a migrant labourer was killed and two others were injured in a grenade attack in Gadoora village in Pulwama district.

A little-known outfit, United Liberation Front, had claimed responsibility for the attack, with ULF spokesperson Umar Wani saying that the attack was part of “operation clean up”. “It is a warning to all those who are part of settlers program. And those part of this program will be targetted,” Wani said in a statement on social media.

Soon after the attack, police said that the two terrorists responsible for the attack have been identified.

The rise in the attacks is being witnessed days before India celebrates 75 years of Independence.