Watch| Kashmiri employees, transporters bear the brunt of backlash in Jammu

Despite curfew, Kashmiri government employees and their families who had moved to the winter capital, were attacked on Saturday again. Omar Abdullah ‘disappointed’ over all-party meet resolution

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Ashutosh Sharma

Rioters continued on Saturday to attack property and vehicles of Kashmiri government employees in Jammu city despite the curfew and heavy deployment of Army and other security forces.

Jammu Bandh on Friday had turned violent with protesters targeting shops, cars and property of a particular community. The protesters had torched more than 50 private vehicles in the heart of the city.

Talking to the National Herald over phone the Civil Secretariat Employees Union president Ghulam Rasool Mir urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to ensure security to the employees or send them back to Kashmir.

Between 7-8000 Kashmiri families of civil secretariat employees are putting up in Jammu currently, he stated.

“Despite repeated assurances by the police over phone last evening, the (unruly) mob continued damaging our vehicles and throwing stones at our residential quarters in Janipur. They damaged our vehicles parked on the streets and even attempted to torch our houses,” he said, adding that “This morning again rioters returned and mounted an attack on us.”

“The mobs entered inside the premises of employees’ quarters and attacked our people and property,” he said, accusing the security forces of “doing nothing” while all this happened.

“Our families, our children are living in fear. Anything can happen to us at any time. We are an integral part of the government machinery and yet the government is not able to protect us,” he lamented.

“There is thin attendance in the secretariat too. The employees from Kashmir are scared of even stepping outside their homes,” he said, adding that scores of employees including two minor children have suffered injuries in the attacks.

Condemning the Pulwama carnage, he said that “Those attacking us must understand that we are here to ensure smooth functioning of the government. Our innocent families should not be targeted for various political reasons.”

On Friday, the rioters had held violent demonstrations in Gujjar Nagar, Shahidi Chowk, Janipur, Purani Mandi, Pacca Danga, Rehari, Residency Road, New Plot, Gummat, Prem Nagar and Narwal.

The Army has deployed nine security columns with air support in Jammu following the violent protests during the Jammu Bandh.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed displeasure with the resolution that was unanimously passed in the all-party meet in Delhi: “Disappointed the resolution did not include a call for calm. Reports of violence in Jammu and tension in university and college campuses in some states, I would have expected an appeal for calm to have gone with the condemnation and condolences.”

Meanwhile, there are also reports of attacks on Kashmiri transporters operating on Jammu-Srinagar highway by violent mobs in Jammu. In Srinagar, the drivers assembled at the Press Enclave and raised slogans against the administration, accusing authorities of doing little to protect them in Hindu-majority areas of Jammu region.

“The free for all situation has created fear psychosis. The boarders of Jammu University and other college hostels here are feeling insecure in view of movement of suspicious people,” said senior advocate at Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Shakeel Ahmed, adding that “Its high time to instil confidence amongst the minorities.”

Demanding additional security in areas inhabited by minority community, he also appealed Governor Malik to fix the responsibility for administrative and security lapses.

Jammu and Kashmir is under President’s Rule since December. The state plunged into a political crisis in June last year after People’s Democratic Party-led government was reduced to a minority following withdrawal of support by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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