Kulgam attack: Injured labourer succumbs, toll rises to two

Kulgam, Aug 1: The death toll in the firing incident involving non-local brick kiln workers in the Kellam area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district rose to two after another injured worker succumbed to his injuries.
Officials said unidentified gunmen opened fire on two non-local brick kiln workers in Kellam, leaving both critically injured.
The victims were initially shifted to a nearby hospital, where one of them, identified as Deepak, a resident of Chhattisgarh, was declared brought dead.
The second injured worker, identified as Bopinder, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, was referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag for specialized treatment, from where he was shifted to SKIMS Srinagar. However, he later succumbed to his injuries, taking the death toll to two.
Further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly condemned the dastardly killing of two labourers in Kulgam and expressed profound grief over the loss of innocent lives.
The Chief Minister announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased. This will be in addition to the immediate assistance of Rs 6 lakh each to be provided by the District Administration. The Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and reaffirmed that the Government stands firmly with them during this difficult time.” [KNT]