'Now What Will We Do?' Ask Grieving Kin of Bihar Workers Killed in Kashmir

The killings are the latest in a series of attacks conducted by terrorists on migrant workers in Kashmir.

These murders are the latest in a series of attacks conducted by terrorist groups in Kashmir.

(Photo: PTI)

"How will my daughter take care of four children all by herself?" asks Yogendra's father-in-law from Araria, Bihar.

On Sunday evening, 17 October, terrorists in Kashmir shot dead two labourers from Araria, Bihar while one more has been gravely injured and is fighting for his life in a hospital.

Raja Rishidev (32), Yogendra Rishidev (34), and Chunchun Rishidev are among the 30-40 migrants from their village in Araria who had gone to Kashmir in search for employment.

These murders are the latest in a series of attacks conducted by terrorist groups in Kashmir that are specifically targeting people from the minority Hindu and Sikh communities.

In the first two weeks of October, Kashmir witnessed seven civilian killings by terrorists, out of which three were Hindus and one was Sikh.

Last week, terrorists had targeted migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who worked as street vendors and carpenters.

Sole Earning Member

As news of the latest terrorist attack reached the family members of the deceased and of the injured in Araria district, the villagers of Mirzapur gathered together to support them.

Yogendra's mother, Karni Devi, is unable to keep herself from fainting in grief due to her son's demise.

She says that her son had gone to Kashmir in order to bring happiness to their home, but instead of happiness, the family has received news of his death.

"Now what will an old lady like me do," she cries.

Yogendra's father-in-law, Teju Rishidev, says that his son-in-law left behind four young children.

He is worried about how they will be fed and taken care of since it was Yogendra's earnings that had always brought food to the table.

At the same time, the whole village is praying for the recovery of Chunchun, who was shot but not killed.

'They Are Not Being Allowed To Come Back'

According to one villager, a contractor had taken more than 25 people to Kashmir for work.

They had agreed to migrate due to the dearth of jobs in Bihar. However, despite being there for more than five months, they are still not being allowed to return to their home villages.

The villagers made repeated phone calls to the contractor, who assured them each time that he'll send the workers home right away.

The workers never made it home, but the tragic news of Yogendra's and Raja's death did, along with Chunchun's injury.

The villagers of Mirzapur even marched to the house of Ashish Bhagat, a member of the Panchayat Samiti late into the night and demanded that the youngsters of their village who migrated to Kashmir for work be brought back home immediately.