Web Report
Hundreds of Indian visitors and students are fleeing Kashmir after the government ordered tourists and Hindu pilgrims visiting a Himalayan cave shrine “to curtail their stay” in the disputed territory, citing security concerns.
Authorities on Saturday also bused out hundreds of Indian students from some colleges in the region’s main city of Srinagar.
The order on Friday cited the “prevailing security situation” and the “latest intelligence inputs of terror threats with specific targeting” of the annual Hindu pilgrimage as reasons for the advisory.
The order has intensified tensions following India’s announcement that it was sending thousands of more troops to the region, sparking fears in Kashmir that New Delhi is planning to scrap an Indian constitutional provision that disallows Indians to buy land in the Muslim-majority region.
India asks its airlines to spare capacity for likely Kashmir evacuation. Air India, IndiGo and Vistara waive rescheduling, cancellation fees for flights.
Given the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, central civil aviation authorities have advised airlines to spare additional capacity that can be deployed to Srinagar in case of an emergency, sources said on Friday.
The advisory came hours after the Indian Army, citing intelligence inputs, said Pakistan-based terrorists were planning to target the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
The Army’s disclosure prompted the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ask the yatris and tourists to “curtail” their stay in the Valley and leave immediately.
“DGCA has advised airlines to remain ready. If there is a need, airlines should be ready to run extra flights,” a source privy to the development told PTI.
“Around 8.45pm, the situation at the Srinagar airport was checked by the DGCA and it was found to be normal. It was found that there is no need to run extra flights right now. But if the need arises later on, the airlines have been advised to remain ready to run extra flights,” the source added.
