Non-locals flee Valley after ‘target killings’

SRINAGAR — A wave of panic has spread among non-local workers in Kashmir after a series of attacks on them. Most of them are fleeing the Valley in utter panic.

The scared non-local workers say the priority for them is to save their life. They say their families back home are urging them to return.

As many as 11 civilians, mostly labourers from Bihar, have been killed in dastardly attacks by unknown gunmen in Kashmir this month.

Many media reports have chronicled the testimony of many such non-locals who have either left or contemplating leaving Kashmir due to the recent spurt in the targeted killings in the valley.

Mohammad Salim, a West Bengal native who now lives in Delhi, said he has worked in Kashmir for the past three decades. “It is the first time that non-local street vendors and labourers are being targeted in J&K,” he said.

Describing the innate fear amidst the non-locals in the valley due to the continuous attack on them, Salim said that the people used to travel on the roads until 9 PM but now they want to return home latest by 6 in the evening. Adding that people won’t risk their lives to earn money, the WB native said that if more killings took place, non-locals might be forced to return to native places.

Irfan, a non-local truck driver from Haryana, has parked his truck after loading it along with 10 other trucks which belong to other non-locals at fruit mandi. They said they are huddling together to ensure their safety.

“Some locals advice us to keep our trucks here. We have now gathered here to load our trucks. Once we are done, we will leave the valley,” he said.

He added: “We have never been harmed by Kashmiris, but unknown gunmen are killing our brethren, which has forced us to decide to leave Kashmir early. We used to leave by December end, but now I have decided to leave tomorrow.”

“I was planning to come back when I learned about the target attacks in valley,” said Noumaan, who is struggling to feed his family back home. He added, “Every male member in my family was working in Kashmir as it paid well. I don’t know how we will manage if the situation in Kashmir remains same for us.”

Meanwhile, official sources told CNS that non-locals residing around the townships were shifted to safer location where they are being provided all necessary arrangements including food and accommodation. “Security arrangements have been made around the venue to safeguard the lives of the non-locals,” officials said.

According to a Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation official quoted by CNS, a 48-seater bus leaves Srinagar for Jammu every day at 7:30 AM, and roughly 40 passengers on the bus each day have been non-locals since last week.