First Fatal Terror Attack on Migrant Workers in J&K in 21 Months
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Security
Why in news
A 24-year-old labourer from Chhattisgarh was shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir, marking the first fatal attack on migrant workers since October 2024. Another worker was critically wounded. This incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region and has prompted strong condemnation from officials.
Background
Migrant workers in Jammu & Kashmir have been targeted by terrorists in the past. The last fatal attack on a migrant worker was on October 18, 2024, when a native of Bihar's Banka was killed in Shopian. In 2021, two men from Bihar were killed in Kulgam. The recent attack occurred during the Amarnath Yatra, which has been suspended on the Pahalgam side due to heavy rain and landslides.
Key facts
Terrorists shot dead Deepak Ratray, a 24-year-old labourer from Chhattisgarh, at a brick kiln in Kulgam on Friday evening.
Another worker, Bhupender (28), was critically wounded and moved to Government Medical College in Anantnag.
This is the first fatal attack on migrant workers in J&K since October 18, 2024, when a Bihar native was killed in Shopian.
The last terror strike targeting migrant labourers in Kulgam was on October 11, 2021, killing two men from Bihar.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and directed security forces to intensify operations.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP's J&K spokesperson Altaf Thakur also condemned the attack.
Security forces have launched a cordon-and-search operation to trace the attackers.
The attack came during the Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3 but has been suspended on the Pahalgam side since July 19 due to heavy rain and landslides.
On July 22, a terrorist shot dead J&K Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag, the first attack since the Pahalgam massacre of April 22, 2025.
Prelims pointers
- Kulgam district is in south Kashmir.
- Amarnath Yatra: Annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu & Kashmir.
- Lieutenant Governor of J&K: Manoj Sinha.
- DGP of J&K: Nalin Prabhat.
- PDP: People's Democratic Party, led by Mehbooba Mufti.
- BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mains angles
- Discuss the challenges of internal security in Jammu & Kashmir, particularly the targeting of migrant workers.
- Examine the impact of terrorism on the socio-economic fabric of the region, including the displacement of migrant labour.
- Analyze the effectiveness of security operations in countering terrorism in J&K.