Farooq Abdullah questions timing of Kulgam killings amid statehood push

The two victims, both non-local laborers, succumbed to injuries sustained when gunmen opened fire in the Kellam area. While one worker died shortly after the attack, the second passed away in a local hospital despite medical intervention. Security forces have since established a perimeter around the district, launching a large-scale search operation to track the perpetrators.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary echoed the frustration surrounding the security situation, noting that these killings follow a pattern of violence in Pahalgam and Anantnag. He challenged the central government’s long-standing assertion that the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 would effectively dismantle terror networks in the region. Six years after the constitutional changes, local leadership argues the persistent threat to civilians undermines the promises made during the transition to a Union Territory.