Security forces took control of the campsite and its surrounding areas on Monday after seven workers and employees working on a tunnel project on the strategic national highway from Srinagar Leh to Ganderbal were killed in a terror attack.

Law enforcement is watching closely. The campsite is located a few meters from the highway and barely one or two kilometers from vast forest areas. Since morning, senior army, police and CRPF officials reached the spot as these joint forces were busy in search operations in nearby Gagangeer but the forces were looking for a possible escape route of the terrorists . An NIA team led by a senior officer also visited the spot.

On Monday morning, the Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: “This is our land under illegal occupation and we will bleed from the neck anyone who pouts with a bad look at our lands or properties.” .

“It was around 7 p.m. when we heard gunshots coming from near the campsite. At first we thought the employees were firecrackers, but after a while not only did the intensity of the shooting increase, but some private security employees ran out and informed us that the campsite had been attacked. We all panicked and closed our shop,” said Zubair Ahmad, owner of a grocery store outside the camp on the national highway.

A dumper driver who lives in Gagangeer village, on condition of anonymity, said he had been working with APCO infra since 2018 and learned about the attack only after a few minutes. “I was at home. I heard gunshots coming from the camp and ten minutes later, when the police arrived at the campsite from Gund, we learned of the death of our colleagues,” he said. “There were a few hundred employees in the camp who were transferred to an adjacent location for safety reasons. We didn’t go to work today because no officers were available and there was only security inside the campsite.

Investigating officials after meeting the five injured people being treated at SKIMS hospital said the workers told them they saw two terrorists wearing thin blankets and that they attacked at three or four places inside the camping. They (the terrorists) also set fire to a vehicle carrying employees but the workers had left there beforehand and took refuge in the darkness.

“We are surprised at how the terrorists managed to infiltrate the campsite which is not only fenced but also guarded by private security. Even a CRPF camp is located near the campsite. The terrorists, according to our information, remained inside the camp for 15 to 20 minutes,” said a police officer present on site. “All aspects of the attack are being carefully investigated, as well as the possible escape route that the terrorists could have taken. In this operation, more than two terrorists could have remained involved,” the officer added.

A private security guard from Uttar Pradesh stationed at the entrance to the camp said his colleague was among the injured. “I was stationed on the National Road on the tunnel road which is two or three kilometers from the campsite. I too heard gunshots, then my colleagues told me that people were shooting inside the campsite. They directly targeted workers in three locations, leaving seven dead and five injured. My colleague is now out of danger. The majority of our workers were moved to safer locations and at the time of the attack, over 200 workers were inside the campsite. They are all panicked because they witnessed the death so closely,” he said, adding that since 8 p.m. he had been on duty. “It’s still chaos. I didn’t tell my family that our campsite was targeted.

CM Omar visits the hospital

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also visited SKIMS and interacted with the injured workers and ordered them best treatment.

Sinha meets injured at Srinagar hospital

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday visited SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar to inquire about the health of those injured in the Gagangir terror attack.

A team of senior doctors briefed the Lieutenant Governor about the health condition of the injured and the medical procedures followed. The lieutenant governor also asked officials to provide all support to the affected families.

Informing about it, Sinha posted on I pray for their speedy recovery.

Asked officials to provide all support to affected families. The brutal and savage attack on construction workers will be avenged. I have asked the J&K Police and security forces to demand a price that the terrorists and their associates will remember for some time.