J&K administration warns migrant staff to return to work or face action, employees fear life threat amid terror attacks

The Kashmir administration has directed Deputy Commissioners of all 10 districts to ensure that migrant employees need not leave the Valley and that “whosoever will be absent shall be dealt as per Service Rules,” reported The Indian Express. 

The report quoted two Deputy Commissioners saying they will wait for a government order before acting. Following the killing of  a Sikh school principal and Kashmiri Hindu teacher by terrorists last week, several employees feeling unsafe left the Valley, saying the administration was being “insensitive”. 

Even those who have returned to Jammu remain cautious about getting back to work. A government employee, who had returned to Srinagar in 2015 with a job in the J&K Education Department under the Prime Minister’s package and returned to Jammu last week, said most of them are teachers and are conducting online classes for students. 

“Employees came to Jammu fearing threat to their lives. Instead of allaying their fears, assuring security, and making necessary arrangements, the administration threatens them with action as per Service Rules,” an employee who returned to Valley in 2015 was quoted as saying.

Another employee, who got a job under the Prime Minister’s package, said he had no idea how employees, living in rented accommodations in parts of South Kashmir, will be provided security.

Top security officials across districts held a meeting on Saturday to discuss review security arrangements and identify government accommodation for “protected persons”.

“The chair (Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir) directed that all the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs (Senior Superintendent of Police) shall ensure one to one meeting with the representative/ leaders of all the political parties within 2-3 days for the redressal of their apprehensions regarding security, accommodation etc. and consider their genuine demands,” the minutes of the meeting released on Tuesday said.

The Divisional Commissioner also directed that non-migrant minority populations — labourers, skilled labourers etc — in the districts be identified and adequate security measures be put in place for them along with regular interactions.