Srinagar , Oct 22 ( KINS) : Security forces have detained over 40 individuals for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation into the deadly terror attack in Gagangir, Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, where seven people were brutally killed. The attack took place at a tunnel construction site, shocking the region with its violence, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The attackers are believed to have meticulously planned the assault, with the help of a network of local associates. “We are confident the terrorists will be apprehended. We have detained multiple suspects, though no arrests have been made yet,” a senior police officer stated.
Following the attack, security forces, including the Army, CRPF, and local police, launched a large-scale combing operation in the area surrounding the tourist spot Sonamarg. The operation began on Monday, just a day after the horrific incident, as teams spread out across the mountainous terrain to track down the terrorists and their supporters.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was also deployed to the scene to gather crucial evidence. Investigators believe the attackers had in-depth knowledge of the construction site, possibly gained through prior employment there or by receiving inside information from locals. CCTV footage from the area is being analyzed for clues, while eyewitnesses reported that the attackers fired indiscriminately and without warning.
The assailants, suspected to be Pakistani terrorists, reportedly first attacked the mess hall where laborers were resting, before moving on to the officers’ quarters. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack, one of the deadliest assaults in recent years targeting non-local workers in the Kashmir Valley.
Among the seven victims were Dr. Shahnawaz Dar and six laborers: Faheem Nasir, Kaleem, Mohammad Hanif, Shashi Abrol, Anil Shukla, and Gurmeet Singh. They were killed after returning to their camp following a day’s work on the tunnel project.
As political outrage grew, leaders across party lines condemned the attack. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his determination to ensure that such incidents do not derail the region’s ongoing development efforts. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha vowed retaliation, placing the blame squarely on Pakistan for encouraging terrorism in the region.
Security forces continue their search for the perpetrators as the investigation intensifies, with hopes that the detained suspects will provide crucial information to help dismantle the terrorist network behind the attack.( KINS)
J&K Police Detain 40 in Connection with Deadly Gagangir Terror Attack
