News of two migrant
workers’ involvement in a local girl’s rape and murder triggers an
assault on non-Kashmiris. They are fleeing the Valley.
Migrant workers from north Indian states are leaving the Valley in
large numbers following a public outcry over the involvement of two
non-locals in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in north
Kashmir’s Langate village. Most of the residents of the Hawal locality
in Srinagar, until now home to a large number of migrants from Bihar
and its adjoining areas, have already left, leaving behind an eerie
silence.
EXODUS: migrant labourers wait to
board a bus at the inter-state depot in Srinagar
Anger erupted against non-locals after the police revealed that two
migrant labourers were among four men who raped and killed the teenage
girl, Tabinda Gani, on July 20. Veteran separatist hardliner Syed Ali
Shah Geelani, and later the Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad,
issued public calls for non-locals to leave the Valley within a week’s
time. The ultimatum created panic and fear among thousands of
non-Kashmiri labourers, many of whom were seen packing their bags and
vacating their rental houses.
The “quit Kashmir” call came after four persons were arrested by the
police in connection with the rape and murder of Gani, a class VIII
student who was kidnapped by four men when she was coming back from
school. The men raped the teenager and later killed her by slitting her
throat.
No sooner than the news of arrest and involvement of non-local workers
was made public that ire was directed against migrants in the village
and soon spread to other areas. However, following public criticism,
particularly by newspapers through their editorials condemning the
threat issued by Geelani, the hardliner was forced to soften his stand
saying only persons with criminal background should be seen off.
Geelani’s retraction was followed by that of the Hizbul Mujahideen,
which said the organisation does not believe in punishing the majority
for the crimes of a few. The Hizb appealed to all non-Kashmiri people
to continue with their work in the Valley without fear.
However, non-locals continue to flee the Valley despite assurances.
“They have taken the call back but who will be responsible if something
untoward happens?” said Satish Yadav, a small-time painter from Bihar
who was leaving the Valley for good. “To hell with the money that has
life as its stake. I am going back to my village and will take some job
there. Even the policemen are not ready to protect us,” he said.
Hundreds of workers have booked their seats for a journey back home and
beelines of them can be seen at state road transport as well as private
bus depots. “It was a hectic week and we were forced to press
additional buses into service. The process seems unending,” said a J
& K srtc official pointing to the long queue outside the ticket
counter. The transport department is now plying 18 buses daily in place
of the usual 10 to meet the rush.
Abdul Halim, who lived in the Hawal locality, was asked by his house
owner to leave. “For 10 years none of us was ever harassed or targeted
by any Kashmiri. I fail to understand what has happened suddenly. If
someone among us has committed a mistake let the police punish him, why
should others suffer?” he asks.
Landlords who have rented their houses to non-locals have grown
apprehensive and are asking them to leave. “I have asked my tenants to
vacate my house to avoid any untoward incident. If tomorrow someone
targets them in my house who will be held responsible?” said a landlord
at Hawal, pleading not to be named.
Kuljeet, a carpenter from Punjab, was living in Kashmir for the past
three years. “Wherever we go people ask us why we haven’t left. Some of
us were beaten up by people asking us to leave, so why should we stay
put?” Kuljeet said.
The call for non-Kashmiris to leave the Valley also came from the
Srinagar-based Jammu and Kashmir Joint Workers and Labourers Union, as
well as from the Kashmir Bar Association.
The large number of outsiders in the Valley’s work force has long been
a concern among the state’s people. Locals also blame outsiders for
spoiling the Islamic nature of the society by consuming alcohol and
drugs and running brothels. For now, only a pall of fear hangs over
those who are firm on fighting the undercurrent of hostility.
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