Ganderbal attack: Must work towards improving situation in J&K, says deputy CM

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Monday condemned the militant attack in Ganderbal that killed seven persons, and said that similar incidents have been carried out before elections in the past.

The deputy chief minister said that the situation needs to improve, and they must work towards that improvement. “What has occurred is extremely wrong, and we are deeply sorry for it.”

“It will take some time for things to get better. As for this incident, both the lieutenant governor and the chief minister have said that strict action will be taken,” he told reporters here.

The director general of police is also taking action on the militant attack, Choudhary said.

A doctor and six labourers were killed when militants attacked a tunnel construction site on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Sunday.

The militants, who are yet to be identified, launched the attack when the labourers and other staff working on the tunnel project at Gund in Ganderbal had returned to their camp late in the evening.

“Similar incidents have occurred before elections in the past, and this is one of those kinds of incidents. The government would never want such incidents to happen,” he said.

“We are elected representatives and we strongly oppose such actions,” the deputy CM said.

Choudhary said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives. “I pray to God to give strength to the families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy, so they can endure this loss,” he said.

“The families who have been affected are our families and they are part of this government’s family,” he added. (PTI)