Authorities stop fleeing Kashmiri Pandits along Srinagar-Jammu highway

Authorities also confined Kashmiri Pandits to their transit camps after the community members threatened mass migration in the wake of targeted killings

Despite assurances of security and postings at ‘safer locations’ by the administration, migrant Kashmiri Pandit employees on Thursday were seen fleeing from the Valley with their families towards Jammu.

However, reports said that the fleeing KP employees and their families were being stopped at several police checkpoints on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. “Even our family members are not being allowed to move together out of transit camps as authorities think we may leave Kashmir,” said Ashwani Sadhu, an engineer working in a government department.

Another KP employee said at the special checkpoints on the highway, policemen were checking identity proofs of people and if they are found to be Pandits, they were sent back to transit camps.

Authorities also confined KPs to their transit camps after the community members threatened mass migration in the wake of targeted killings, reports said. A strict vigil was being kept on transit accommodations of KPs in Sheikhpora in Budgam, Vesu in Kulgam and other areas of the Valley.

In Indra Nagar locality of Srinagar where KP employees live in residential houses and hotels acquired by the government, concertina wires and barricades were laid to prevent them from leaving the area, reports added

Posting a picture of a police vehicle blocking the road leading to the Indira Nagar locality, one Shweta Bhat tweeted: “This is real Kashmir..Actually HELL..And this is our FAILED Govt., Just trying to Hide their failure.. Indra Nagar area sealed for people to move to Jammu (sic).”

However, Amit Raina, coordinator of the protesting employees said, the migrant KPs will leave Kashmir en masse on Friday. “The protests across Kashmir have been called off with immediate effect as the lives of the minorities are becoming unsafe by each passing day,” he said in a statement.

Another Kashmiri Pandit leader in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, said they have kept trucks on standby as they might have to leave anytime.

Unconfirmed reports said over 100 Kashmiri Pandit families have already fled Valley in recent days.