Kashmiri Hindus Leaving Valley Amid Surge In Targeted Killings: Reports

Hindus living in Kashmir, including Kashmiri Pandits, are leaving the Valley amid a surge in targeted killings, reports say.

Terrorists shot dead a bank employee from Rajasthan in Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Thursday (2 June), the eighth targeted killing in the Valley since 1 May and the third of a non-Muslim government employee.

Reports say that a spate of targeted attacks has sent shockwaves through the minority community and forced hundreds to leave.

Hours after a female teacher was shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam district on Tuesday (31 May), an organisation of Kashmiri Pandit employees had threatened to leave the Valley if the government did not relocate them to safer places in 24 hours.

A group of Kashmiri Pandit employees, who were given jobs under a prime minister’s package for the community, Wednesday (1 June) began preparations for “mass migration” out of Kashmir, protesting against a series of targeted killings of non-Muslim employees by terrorists.

The group said they were meeting truck-owners Wednesday to negotiate a rate for transporting their goods.

Hours after a female teacher was shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam district, an organisation of KP employees had threatened to leave the Valley if the government did not relocate them to safer places in 24 hours.

“We have come to fix the rate with truck-owners. Let’s see if any decision comes from the government by this evening. If not, then we will migrate from here tomorrow,” one of their representatives said here Wednesday.

“We have decided that if the government did not take any concrete step for us (safety) within 24 hours, there will be mass migration again,” one of the employees said here.

“We have come to fix the rate with truck-owners. Let’s see if any decision comes from the government by this evening. If not, then we will migrate from here tomorrow,” one of their representatives said here Wednesday.

“We have decided that if the government did not take any concrete step for us (safety) within 24 hours, there will be mass migration again,” one of the employees said here.

He said the target killing of Kashmiri Pandits is continuing and the community is now tired of making appeals with the government.

“We should be relocated so that we can be saved. Our delegation had met the LG earlier and we had asked him to save us. We are asking for temporary relocation for two to three years till the situation in the valley returns to normal. It is the same time frame put by IGP Kashmir for making Kashmir terrorism-free,” he added.

Rajni Bala, hailing from Samba district in Jammu division, was shot dead by terrorists Tuesday inside the government school in Kulgam where she was posted. Before her, Rahul Bhat, a clerk in the office of Tehsildar Chadoora in Budgam district, was shot dead inside his office on May 12.

Umesh Talashi, a National Conference leader from south Kashmir, hit out at the BJP for the present situation.

“Back to 1990, #KashmiriPandits out fixing the rates with truck drivers for shifting their base to Jammu after back to back target killings in #Kashmir. Another exodus on cards. #BJP missed to mention this while showcasing their 8 years of achievements yesterday!!” Talashi tweeted.

(With inputs from PTI)