Targeted killing of Hindus in Kashmir : Over 1,400 Hindus flee to Jammu

Hindus protesting the killing of Hindus in Kashmir

New Delhi – The recent surge in the incidents of targeted killing of Hindus in the Kashmir Valley has led to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus residing in transit camps. Hundreds of families, including many Government employees, who returned to the Valley after being given jobs under the Prime Minister’s special employment scheme for Kashmiri migrants, have quietly left the camps where they were housed.

According to rough estimates, more than 1,400 Hindus have reached Jammu from Kashmir in the 3 days alone. Reports suggest that 70 people, only from the Mattan area of south Kashmir, have reached Jammu. These fear-stricken Hindus are being compelled to believe the Valley has returned to the State that existed in the 1990s.

In the 1990s, a planned exodus by Islamic terrorists was unleashed on the Kashmiri Hindu population of Kashmir. Hindu women were raped, murdered and asked to either convert to Islam or leave Kashmir. Almost overnight, thousands of Kashmiri Hindus had fled the State to protect themselves from Islamic terrorism.

These Hindus have said that almost 250 Government employees have fled Kashmir to reach Jammu on 7^th October night alone.

According to a report, around 400 families of Kashmiri Hindus had been living in Sheikhpora, but, it now bears a deserted look as all these families have left following the killing of several Hindus in the last month in the Valley.

The authorities, meanwhile, are trying their best to instill confidence among the minority Kashmiri Hindu community in the Valley. The Jammu & Kashmir administration made fervent appeals to the Hindus to not think about migrating. Relief Commissioner AK Pandita assured of providing full security and said all Deputy Commissioners have assured full security to their colonies.

The brutal killing of a teacher and principal, as well as other civilians, in the region recently has caused concern among minority groups that they will be the next target.

Kashmiri Pandits held a protest march at the Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place in New Delhi

On 7^th October, in an extremely brutal attack, two teachers – a Hindu and a Sikh – were shot dead at point-blank range at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Idgah, Sangam in Srinagar by Islamic terrorists in Kashmir. Pakistan based terror outfit ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the attack, has said that they killed the teachers because they had asked students to attend the 15th August function in the school. As per reports, the teachers present were segregated on basis of their religions and presumably Muslim teachers were allowed to go. The Hindu and Sikh teacher were dragged outside and shot at point-blank range.

This attack came less than 48 hours after the murder of Makhan Lal Bindroo, the Kashmiri Hindu who stood his ground and refused to leave Kashmir even during the heights of Islamic terror in 1990s. Two other people were also killed on the same day.

(As we go to the Press, the latest news is non-Kashmiris have been also killed brutally.)

Kashmiri Pandits hold protest, candlelight march in New Delhi against targeted killings of Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir

Kashmiri Pandits held a protest and a candlelight march at Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place in Delhi on 9^th October, protesting against the targeted killings of Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir. The protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar where they began the agitation and later ended with a candle march across the inner circle of the Connaught Place.

Slogans of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ were raised during the march, slogans of “We Want Justice” and “Pakistan Haai Haai” were also raised. The protesters said that the fresh wave of terror attacks are targeted and meant to create a wedge between communities in Kashmir. They said that the terrorists want to convey a message to the Kashmiri Hindus that they will not be welcomed back in the Valley.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal also protested and burnt effigies to register their anguish over the concerted murders in Kashmir. Protests were held across 3,500 sites and it was vowed that Islamic Terrorism will be buried in India.