Srinagar: After a spate of killings of civilians from minority communities, the divisional administration of Kashmir has directed the head of departments to post migrant employees in “safe and secure zones in Kashmir region.”
In this regard, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang Pole has issued directions to all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Kashmir division and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to preferably post migrant employees in safe zones.
“Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, impressed upon the officers to preferably post these migrant employees in safe and secure zones instead of far flung and vulnerable areas for the time being,” read a note of the minutes of the meeting chaired by Divisional Commissioner.
A senior official, who was part of the meeting, informed Greater Kashmir that the administration had taken slew of measures to instil confidence among migrant employees and these steps also included scaling-up security.
“Killing of civilians in the last week has created fear-psychosis among all in Kashmir, particularly migrant employees, Divisional Commissioner issued directions to the Deputy Commissioners as well as Police to ensure adequate security measures. One of the directions was to post them in safer zones, not in far-flung areas where they can become an easy target,” the document read.
“After appraising the number, accommodation and security of the migrant quota employees including Sikhs, the chair reiterated and directed that adequate security shall be given to them,” the document further read.
To instill confidence among non-local labourers after killing of Bhel-puri seller, a resident of Bihar, in Srinagar, the divisional administration also directed the DCs and police to ensure adequate security measures in place in the areas where these non- local labourers were putting up.
“The chair directed that non migrant minority population viz., labourers and skilled labourers etc in the districts shall be identified and adequate measures of security shall be put in place for them, besides, regular interactions be conducted with them so that any apprehension with regard to their security is taken care of.”
The latest targeting of minority community members and non-locals by militants in Kashmir has created a sense of fear among migrant workers, who come to the Valley for labour jobs.
After a Sikh woman, who was principal of a government school, was killed by militants here, the Srinagar Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (GPC) on Saturday said that no Sikh employee would attend office till the government assured their safety.
A sense of insecurity gripped the minorities particularly Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir after four members belonging to these two communities were shot dead by militants in three separate incidents in Srinagar during last one week.
On October 5, famous chemist M L Bindroo was shot dead at his shop at Iqbal Park. On the same day a street food vendor from Bihar was shot dead at Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.
On October 7, a Sikh woman, who was the principal of a government higher secondary school in Eidgah and her colleague Deepak Chand were shot dead by the militants inside the school.
Kour lived at Allochi Bagh in Srinagar while Chand hailed from Jammu. The killings sparked a wave of outrage in Kashmir.