NEW DELHI: Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday condemned the killing of two Chhattisgarh labourers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, alleging that the victims were “identified” before being targeted by terrorists.In a post on X, Kharge described the attack as “utterly reprehensible” and said identifying the labourers before killing them reflected the “cruel mindset of terrorism.”“The cowardly terrorist attack in Kulgam, Jammu-Kashmir, is utterly reprehensible and a disgrace to humanity. Identifying two innocent laborers and then brutally murdering them is a loathsome example of the cruel mindset of terrorism. No amount of condemnation for this can ever be enough,” said Kharge.“I extend my deepest condolences to the grieving families. While ensuring swift and stringent action against the perpetrators, they must be given the harshest possible punishment under the law,” he added.The two victims were identified as 24-year-old Deepak Ratre from Sakti district and 28-year-old Bhupendra Bhaina from Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district in Chhattisgarh. Both had travelled to Kashmir in search of work and were employed at the brick kiln where the attack took place.Deepak, the sole breadwinner of his family, had moved to Jammu and Kashmir around seven to eight months ago with his wife. He is survived by his elderly mother, a physically disabled younger brother, his wife and their four-month-old son.Bhupendra had arrived in Kashmir about three months ago with his wife, while their four-year-old son remained in Chhattisgarh with relatives.
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Following the attack, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the two victims. Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai also condemned the killings, describing the attack as “cowardly”, and said officials had been directed to coordinate with the Jammu and Kashmir administration to facilitate the return of the bodies.The incident came days after terrorists shot dead Jammu and Kashmir Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi at Anantnag’s Lal Chowk while he was deployed on Amarnath Yatra duty. That attack, on July 22, was the first terror strike in Kashmir since the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 people were killed. Survivors of the Pahalgam attack had alleged that the terrorists identified victims by asking their religion before opening fire.
