The migrant workers are now moving to escape the valley following a spate of killings of migrant workers by militants. They were among a few dozen workers who silently left for their homes today, although a vast majority of them have so far chosen to stay on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has never happened even when the situation was worse,\u201d said Satish Kumar in his late 40s and a resident of Bihar at the railway station. \u201cNon-locals workers in the worst violent days were never targeted. But now we are leaving Kashmir as killings of non-locals are happening almost every day. Everyone is terrified after these killings. I got many calls from family so I along with a few more living in Srinagar locality have decided to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
This month 11 civilians have been killed by militants, five of them are migrant workers. The targeted killings have unleashed a new wave of tension among non-locals and minorities. Another non-local who was leaving the valley said he has never felt so scared. \u201cI have been coming to Kashmir for 40 years but never felt so scared. I saw pictures of those killed on mobiles and it has scared us and our families,\u201d said another non-local accompanying Kumar. Some of those who had reached the Tourist Reception Centre said they were leaving as the work season was over in Kashmir and the festival of Diwali was approaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am leaving to celebrate Diwali at home,\u201d said a non-migrant worker. Promodh Kumar, a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh said he was not going to shift due to the present situation. \u201cI have been living in complete harmony with locals and they have been protecting me. I can\u2019t say what has triggered the latest spree of killing,\u201d Kumar said. During the peak of summer, according to estimates, there are nearly four lakh, non-local laborers, in Kashmir and nearly 50 percent among them are from Bihar.<\/p>\n
During summers, migrant laborers can be seen on various streets to fetch work.<\/p>\n