Kulgam: On Sunday three labourers from Bihar were preparing meals for dinner in their rented accommodation near Ganjipora village of Wanpoh in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The trio would usually leave for work early morning and return late, but the heavy rains today confined them to their rooms.
At around 6:15 pm, gunmen barged inside their rented accommodation and fired indiscriminately at the trio. Two among them, Raja Reshi Dev and Joginder Reshi Dev who received multiple bullet injuries died on the spot. The third, Chun Chun Reshi Dev, who was hit by a bullet in his shoulder, somehow managed to run away shouting for help.
“He came out running with blood oozing from his arm, and told us that they were fired upon,” said a labourer from Bihar who lives nearby. He said his co-labourers and locals rushed out and took the injured to the hospital.
Another labourer said that they found two bodies lying in the lawn of the rented house with blood all around.
“The injured laborer told us that three gunmen came in and asked them to come out and then fired bullets on them,” he said.
The Wanpoh area and its adjoining villages-Laram, Ganjipora, Gasipora located along the old national highway is home to hundreds of non-local laborers who come here for work.
The market usually is bustling with activities during evening hours as non-local labourers flock it after returning from day’s work. The local shopkeepers – grocery and greengrocers mostly cater to these laborers from outside.
However, after the incident, an uneasy calm prevailed in the area as security forces with armored vehicles stood guard outside. Fear was palpable in the eyes of laborers.
“We are in utter shock. Never ever had we imagined that such tragedy would befall us,” say the laborers in a choked voice.