'Heavily Armed Terrorists, Aimed To Cause Maximum Casualties': Jammu-Kashmir Police On Attack, NIA Takes Over Case

The militants who attacked a camp housing workers of an infrastructure company near Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Jammu and Kashmir were heavily armed and intended to inflict maximum casualties, according to police sources.

Seven employees of the company, which is constructing the Z-Morh tunnel near Gagangir along the Srinagar-Sonamarg road, were killed in the assault.

The victims were identified as Faheem Nasir from Bihar, Anil Shukhla from Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Shahnawaz from Bidgam in Kashmir, Mohammad Hanif from Bihar, Kaleem from Bihar, Sashi Abrol from Jammu, and Gurmeet Singh from Punjab.

At least two militants reportedly arrived at the camp and opened fire indiscriminately, targeting multiple areas of the camp, including the mess hall, sources told Indian Express.

"It seems they (militants) were heavily armed and were at the camp office for quite a good amount of time. From what we hear from the workers, it seems the attack was aimed at causing maximum casualties," a police officer said.

Police sources confirmed that a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrived to conduct forensic analysis, and it is likely the NIA will take over the investigation.

This marks the first major attack on an infrastructure project in Jammu and Kashmir. In the past, militants have largely avoided targeting such projects but workers from other states have been under attack.