Nine Nepali labourers killed, four wounded in Anantnag

Srinagar, June 12 (UNI) At least nine Nepali labourers were killed and four wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire at Badroo village in Anantnag this afternoon.

The officials had earlier identified the labourers from Bihar, but one of the wounded, Akshay Kumar, later said that they were from Kadiali village in Murunga district of Nepal.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for South Kashmir Hemant Kumar Lohia told UNI a group of gunmen attacked Bihari labourers working in a brick klin at village Badroo Kulgam, about 70 km from here, at 1630 hrs.

He said six labourers were killed on the spot and seven others wounded. Two of the injured later died on way to hospital, the DIG said, adding the wounded were rushed to hospitals here.

Later, one more succumbed to wounds at the Bone and Joints hospital here.

Mr Lohia said a police patrol immediately cordoned off the area where the militants are reportedly still holed up.

The DIG said reinforcements were immediately rushed to the area from nearby camps and a massive search operation has been launched to nab the ultras.

This was the fourth incident involving outside labourers in the state.

On August 8, 1998, 35 labourers were killed in Kalaban on Jammu-Himachal Pradesh border. Fifteen labourers were killed in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on June 30, 1999.

As many as 27 labourers were gunned down in Qazigund and Achabal areas of Anantnag district of Kashmir on August 1-2, 2000.

More than two lakh Bihari workers and labourers work in different parts of the Kashmir valley.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Governor S K Sinha (Retd) and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad have strongly condemned the killing of innocent labourers in south Kashmir and an attack on pilgrims at Jammu bus stand today.

CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami termed the act ''inhuman'', ''barbarian'' and against the teachings of Islam.

''The killers belong to no religion or region,'' Mr Tarigami said and demanded an end to bloodshed.

UNI BAS YA GC2124