19 Oct , 2021 By : monika singh
The fresh spate of targeted killings of civilians, especially non-locals, across Kashmir has triggered a wave of fear and migration. A big segment of non-local workers has started returning to their native places.
Hundreds of such workers gathered at bus stations and railway stations on Monday in Srinagar, and even in Jammu, along with their family members to exit as quickly as possible.
"This place is not liveable anymore... We can earn only if we are alive. We have never felt so scared in Kashmir," said UP's Deepak who has been working as a labourer in Kashmir for over a decade now.
"I didn't go to work today and stayed indoors. My family is calling me frantically and pleading to leave this place," said Rajasthan's Jagat, who has been working as a mason in Kashmir for over 12 years now.
Some labourers have locked themselves up in their rented accommodations in Srinagar, with the owner assuring them of daily supplies.
In several areas including Sopore, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, non-locals have been shifted to secured locations. "We are here for work and cannot live under security for long," said UP's Kashif who works as a painter here. Another non-local said he was asked to come to a police station in central Kashmir and submit all his identity documents.
A senior police official told ET that station house officers have been directed to ensure listing of all non-local workers ..
All non-local vendors have been asked to move inside their accommodation before evening.
In October, 12 civilians were killed in targeted attacks across Kashmir, which included five non-local vendors, a famous pharmacist and two teachers from minority communities. One civilian was killed in Anantnag, when CRPF personnel allegedly opened fire at a car that had "jumped the barricade". Also, 13 militants have been killed in around nine operations across Kashmir in the last two weeks.
The latest attack against non-local labourers took place on October 17 in Kulgam district of south Kashmir when unidentified gunmen opened fire at three non-local labourers from Bihar in which two of them succumbed, while the third was critically injured.
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