India Tomorrow
SRINAGAR—Vijay Kumar’s feeling of being married was yet to sink in when the cruel hands of militants snatched his life. His bride was inconsolable and fellow employees shattered.
Hailing from Rajasthan, Kumar, a manager of Ellaquai Dehati Bank, Kulgam, had just returned to Kashmir along with his newly-wed wife to join his duties. Both were happy to start a new life under the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. Luck, however, had something else in store.
Two months into the marriage, the bride became a widow. Red has been replaced by white and bliss has turned into mourning.
Even before people could mourn his death, militants shot at and injured two migrant laborers in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. They were shifted to the hospital where one of them succumbed to his injuries.
These are not isolated cases. A series of targeted attacks in Kashmir has created a fear psychosis forcing hundreds of Hindus to migrate from the valley.
Not only Hindus, Muslims, cops, and others too have been killed in targeted attacks in the valley. The spurt in the incidents has come at a time when the centre has been claiming a reduction in militancy-related incidents post-abrogation of Article 370. Forces are worried because the Amarnath yatra is resuming on June 30 after two years.
On Tuesday, militants shot dead Rajni Bala, a 36-year-old Kashmiri Hindu teacher, near the entrance of a government school in the same district.
Last month, militants killed two policemen and a TV artist – all Muslims – in three separate targeted attacks, while a third Muslim policeman was killed in a gunfight.
Official figures reveal that around 41,117 migrant families from Kashmir are registered in Jammu, and 21,000 others in Delhi and other states when militancy started in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990. Of the total migrant families living in Jammu, 37,128 are Hindus, 2,246 Muslims, and 1,758 Sikhs.
A 2008 report by the region’s police, which conducted a survey of its cases between 1989 and 2008, said the rebels killed 209 Kashmiri Pandits in that period, including 109 murders in 1989 and 1990 when the violence against them was at its peak.
This year so far at least 16 such killings have taken place. Last month, suspected rebels shot dead Rahul Bhat, a government employee, inside his office in Budgam district.
The killing sparked days of protests by hundreds of Pandits living in high-security neighborhoods, locally called migrant colonies, spread across the picturesque valley.
In a memorandum to the region’s administrative head Manoj Sinha on May 23, Hindu government employees threatened “en-masse resignation” if their demands were not met.
“The recent killing … has left us with no hope and sustaining power to live in these darkest hours,” said the memorandum, referring to Rahul’s murder.
“All the valley-posted Kashmiri minority employees should be immediately shifted outside this province to stop any further bloodshed,” it added.
Nearly 150 Pandit employees have left the region since the middle of the last month
Nearly 3,800 Pandits had returned to the valley under Prime Minister launched in 2008. The policy included promises of government jobs and secure accommodation for the minority community.
Last month, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha told the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) that security forces have been given full freedom to avenge the killing of innocents.
A PAGD delegation comprising NC president Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami, Anantnag MP Hasnain Masoodi, and Awami National Conference leader Muzaffar Shah, met Lieutenant Governor post killing of Rahul Bhat.
Government sources said Lt Governor told the delegation that the security forces have been given full freedom to avenge the killing of innocents.
He told the delegation that those aiding and abetting terrorists will not be spared. He also told the delegation that all PM package employees will be shifted to secure locations in the district and Tehsil headquarters to ensure their safety.
Sources quoting Sinha said a special cell has been constituted in the LG secretariat. Lt Governor said all parties are most welcome to give their suggestions on issues of targeted killing, eliminating terrorism, terror ecosystem, development, issues concerning youth, etc.
“My doors are always open for people. All sections of polity and society must come together as a united front to eliminate the terror ecosystem,” government sources quoting Lt Governor said.
