Kulgam Terror Attack : Families Allege Religious Targeting After Two Migrant Workers Killed

Terrorists shot dead two migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh on Friday evening at a brick kiln in the Kelam area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district.

The deceased are Deepak Ratre, 24, a resident of Sakti district, and Bhupendra Bhaina, 28. The family of Ratre alleged that the terrorists asked him about his religion before opening fire, as India Today reported.

"He was asked where he was from and what his religion was. He was shot after he said Hindu," Manoj, Ratre's brother, said. Security agencies are investigating the attack and have not officially confirmed the claim.

Devastated Families Seek Justice

Ratre had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir around seven to eight months ago with his wife to work at a brick kiln in search of better wages. As the family's sole breadwinner, he supported his elderly mother, a disabled younger brother, his wife and their infant son. His father had passed away earlier.

Bhaina had moved to Kashmir with his wife about three months ago for work. They left their four-year-old son in the care of his grandmother and younger sister. His parents and brother were employed as labourers in Himachal Pradesh.

The relatives have demanded financial aid and adequate compensation from the government, saying that the families now have no source of income. Following the incident, Malkharouda SDM Rupendra Patel visited the grieving family to assure them of full administrative support.

State Govt Announces Compensation

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai condemned the attack, announcing an ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh each for the families of the deceased.

Calling the attack "cowardly" and "an assault on humanity and national unity", Sai said a senior state officer would be deputed to Jammu and Kashmir to coordinate with local authorities. This will ensure the last rites are conducted with dignity and according to religious customs. The district administration is also coordinating with Jammu and Kashmir authorities to bring Ratre's body back to his native village.

Pattern of Targeted Violence

The family's allegation has revived memories of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where survivors said terrorists questioned tourists about their religion before opening fire. Security agencies have not linked the two incidents, and the motive behind the Kulgam attack remains under scrutiny.

The Kulgam attack occurred less than 10 days after terrorists shot dead a police officer in Anantnag. It is the latest in a series of targeted attacks on non-local workers in the union territory. In February 2024, two workers from Punjab died in a similar terror attack in Srinagar.