Two migrant workers from Chhattisgarh killed in shooting at Kashmir brick kiln
Migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot dead at a brick kiln in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening, in an attack that has
Two migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot dead at a brick kiln in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening, in an attack that has sharpened fears among outside workers in the Valley. One died at the scene. The other was rushed to hospital, but did not survive.
The victims were identified as Deepak Ratray, 24, and Bopinder, 28, both from Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur area, according to officials. The two were working in the Kelam village area when suspected terrorists opened fire at close range and fled. Brief. Sudden. Deadly.
Attack at a brick kiln
Officials said the men were targeted while on duty at the kiln. Deepak Ratray died before he could be taken to a hospital, while Bopinder was first admitted to Government Medical College in Anantnag and later referred to SKIMS Hospital in Soura, where he succumbed during treatment.
Jammu and Kashmir Police Inspector General V K Birdi said the attack took place in Kilam village in Kulgam district. Another account placed the site in the Kelam area of south Kashmir. Both refer to the same stretch of a district that has seen renewed violence in recent days.
Renewed concern after a lull
The shooting comes less than 10 days after terrorists allegedly killed a police officer in Anantnag town, the first such attack in the region since the Pahalgam assault last year. That April attack left 26 civilians dead and had already cast a long shadow over security in Jammu and Kashmir.
Friday’s killings also revived memories of earlier attacks on outside labourers in the Valley. In 2024, two workers from Punjab — Amritpal Singh and Rohit Masih — were shot dead in Srinagar’s Shaheed Gunj area. Officials said more than 15 migrant workers have been killed in terror attacks in J&K since 2021.
Workers at the centre of Kashmir’s economy
Over the past two decades, migrant labourers have become part of Kashmir’s daily economy, working in brick kilns, construction sites and other informal jobs. Many come from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, while others arrive from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Chhattisgarh men were among those seeking work far from home.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and directed security forces to intensify operations to eliminate terrorists. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti called the killings “unimaginably cruel”.
Security officials are now expected to tighten checks around vulnerable labour sites across south Kashmir, where the latest attack has again pushed migrant workers into the centre of the region’s security debate.
