Following a terrorist warning issued by the local government to the Indian part of the Kashmir impoverished region, thousands of tourists have fled the area.
Many people tried to get seats in planes and buses yesterday to leave Kashmir. Meanwhile, thousands of soldiers arrived to reinforce the military service in the Indian part of Kashmir.
The government of the state of Jammu and Kashmir had on Friday evening tourists and pilgrims called to leave Kashmir „immediately“. There was new intelligence on „terrorism“ for a larger Hindu pilgrimage meeting in the region, it was justification. Another announcement advised hundreds of students from other Indian states to leave the country.
Several pilgrimages were canceled. Germany and the UK have issued travel warnings for Jammu and Kashmir.
Chaos at the airport
Yesterday, numerous visitors to Kashmir, including foreigners who wanted to leave quickly, flocked to Srinagar airport. Many of them, however, did not have a valid ticket.
„Passengers who were supposed to leave only in the coming days panicked to the airport,“ said the manager of an airline that offers flights from Srinagar to the Indian capital, New Delhi. „It is chaotic, and not many will get seats, if there are no additional flights.“ Before queues, supermarkets and ATMs in Kashmir long queues formed.
The Kashmir region has been divided between the two nuclear powers of India and Pakistan since a war in 1947, but is still claimed by both states to the fullest. The tensions in the region had recently increased again. The Indian government said last week that it would send 10,000 additional troops to the region.
