Frightened Kashmiri Pandits, others demand relocation to Jammu

Jammu: In the wake of targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandit and non-local government employees in the Valley, hundreds of government employees took out a march on Thursday to demand their immediate transfer to their respective home districts in J&K’s Jammu city.

The protesting Kashmiri Pandit employees and others posted in the Valley carried placards with pictures of their colleague Rajni Bala, school teacher who was killed by terrorists at a school in Kulgam district on Tuesday.

The protesters demanded their relocation to home districts in various places of Jammu division.

The protesters said they will not resume their duties as the government has allegedly failed to stop targeted killings and provide a secure atmosphere to them.

“Nearly 8,000 employees from different districts of Jammu are working in Kashmir under inter-district transfer policy and we are not going to return and resume our duties in the present atmosphere.

“We are serving there for the last 15 years, but are feeling insecure and tense in view of the spurt in the targeted killings,” said Ramesh Chand, a teacher posted in Anantnag district.

Other protesters said they are frustrated by the deteriorating security situation as nobody, including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are safe in the Valley.

Also read: Bank manager from Rajasthan shot dead by terrorists in J-K’s Kulgam