AT LEAST seven workers on a strategic tunnel project in Indian-controlled Kashmir were killed and five others injured, officials confirmed today.

The attack occurred at a construction workers’ camp near the resort town of Sonamarg.

Police suspect militants opposed to Indian rule carried out the attack, though no group has claimed responsibility.

The attackers, who are believed to be two gunmen, opened fire indiscriminately on the workers as they returned to their lodgings on Sunday night.

Two people died on the spot, while 10 others were rushed to hospital, where five more succumbed to their injuries.

The victims included five non-local workers, one Kashmiri worker, and a Kashmiri doctor.

Security forces have launched a search for the attackers, while local leaders condemned the violence.

Omar Abdullah, the region’s top elected official, called the attack “dastardly & cowardly” in a post on X.

Kashmiri resistance leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed sadness over the killings, describing them as a reminder of the “unending cycle of violence” in the region.

Hundreds of workers, many from outside the region, are engaged in building the tunnel, which aims to improve connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the isolated Ladakh region, where heavy snowfall cuts off access for much of the year.

The project is also of strategic importance to the Indian military, enhancing its ability to operate in the region.

Sunday’s attack is the second in recent days targeting non-local workers.

On Friday, a worker from Bihar state was found dead in a maize field in the Shopian district.

Police attributed the killing to militants.

Kashmir has seen a rise in attacks on workers, police officials and local civilians since 2021.