Srinagar: For Mohammad Aalam, a mason from Bihar, Kashmir had always been about hope. Like thousands of labourers from Bihar and other parts of India, Aalam had travelled to Kashmir for work, believing the wages he earned here would help meet his family’s needs back home. But after the recent wave of targeted killings, hope has given way to fear.“I don’t want to put my life at risk, I have young children back home,” Aalam told The Wire. “I just want to go back. I had come here to earn a living in the Valley, but the recent killings have made me afraid.”Aalam is not alone.The fresh killings of two migrant labourers at a brick kiln in Kilam village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district has reignited fear among non-local workers across the Valley. For many, the attacks have revived memories of past attacks at a time when they had come to believe that such killings were in the past.The fear is not confined to those working in construction or brick kilns but also those employed in apple orchards, markets and small businesses who say the atmosphere has suddenly changed.For Mahi, who is from Punjab and has been selling key holders in Srinagar for the past five years, it is important that the authorities ensure the safety of those like her.“The fear which erupted after the series of migrant killings in the past has returned,” she said.Among those killed in the Kilam attack was Deepak Ratrey, a resident of Bundeli village in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district. He and 28-year-old Bhupendra Bhaina from the neighbouring Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district had travelled to Kashmir in search of work and were employed at a brick kiln. Their journey to earn a livelihood ended in tragedy on the night of July 31, when militants attacked them, killing both men.Sanjeev, a migrant from Bihar who operates a sugarcane juice cart in Srinagar, told The Wire that the fresh attack has unsettled even those who had spent years working in Kashmir.“I have been working in Kashmir for three years, but this is the first time that I feel scared,” he said. “My family members back in Bihar are calling me back, saying life is more important than money.”Sanjeev stands beside his sugarcane juice cart in Srinagar, a day after the Kilam attack, as fear and uncertainty grip non-local workers in the Valley. Photo: Junadi Dar.Landlords tasked with advising tenantsThe fear has begun to reshape everyday routines. Several migrant workers said their landlords have advised them to return to their rented accommodation before evening after receiving instructions from the police.Dilpreet, a carpenter from Punjab, said his landlord asked him not to venture out for work for two days following the Kilam killings.“My landlord told me that the police have asked him to inform all his non-local tenants to stay indoors for at least two days. I have not been going to work for two days,” he told The Wire.For Dilpreet, staying indoors comes at a high cost. His father back home is seriously ill and needs expensive medicines which his work pays for.“If I don’t go to work, I can’t survive in Kashmir because my father is suffering from a serious health issue and his medicines are quite expensive,” he said, adding that he had always preferred Kashmir over other locations because of the availability of work and comparatively better wages.Tanu, who sells decorative items in Srinagar, said she had initially been unaware of the latest killings.“My landlord advised me to return to my room by six in the evening. When I asked why, he said the police had advised him to inform us,” she said.Indeed, landlords housing non-local labourers say security agencies have advised them to adopt precautionary measures following the attacks.Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Budgam who rents rooms to migrant workers, said he received a call from the local police station directing him to install CCTV cameras at his building.He said the police have also asked landlords to submit details of the labourers staying in their buildings. “When there was the killing of non-locals in 2021, similar directions were issued. Now the police have asked us to submit the Aadhaar cards of new tenants who are not registered yet,” he said.Authorities have also urged residents across the Valley to register their tenants with the nearest police station as part of enhanced security measures.Mahi sells key holders in Srinagar. She says the recent killings have brought back fear among non-local workers who have made the Valley their workplace for years. Photo: Junaid Dar.Governments’ responsesAfter the attack, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma was quoted as having said that the families of the victims told him that the attackers spent nearly 10 minutes talking to the labourers before opening fire.“Family members of the victims told me the terrorists came, sat with them and conversed for about ten minutes before opening fire. This is a cowardly act,” Sharma said. “No matter what anyone thinks, every inch of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India, and Indians will continue to go there and live there.” According to a police officer aware of the developments, the attacker asked the labourers about their personal details, where they came from and how much they earned. He allegedly carried his weapons inside a gunny bag before using both a rifle and a pistol to shoot the victims.The police officer further said a female relative of the victims had attempted to chase the attacker before he escaped.Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the next of kin of the two deceased labourers.Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting and directed all Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police to conduct a comprehensive review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) put in place for the protection of labourers from outside Jammu and Kashmir.The Jammu and Kashmir Police has decided to relocate migrant workers to designated security clusters, alongside stepping up surveillance, area domination exercises and night patrolling across vulnerable areas.The decision was taken at a high-level security review meeting chaired by L-G Sinha.Security forces have launched multiple cordon-and-search operations across the area while several people in neighbouring villages have been detained, questioned or summoned as part of the investigation.The killings have also had ripple effects within local communities.A resident of Kilam said, according to an Economic Times report, that security personnel visited the area after the attack.“Our shops were ransacked, and armed forces directed locals to ensure the safety of tenants, especially non-locals. They warned that if people cannot keep tenants safe, they should not provide them accommodation.”The attacks have come at a crucial time for Kashmir’s economy.Hundreds of migrant workers are employed in brick kilns across the Valley, while many others have begun arriving for the apple harvesting season, one of Kashmir’s largest annual economic activities. Any large-scale departure of migrant labourers could affect both construction activity and horticulture at a time when demand for labour is at its peak.‘You say terrorism has ended. Then who are these killers?’National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah questioned official claims that militancy had ended.“I am asking you to tell us who these killers are. You say terrorism has ended. Then who are these killers? Expose them. We will see, the world will see,” Abdullah told reporters in Anantnag.The Kilam attack comes less than 10 days after a Jammu and Kashmir Police head constable was shot dead by militants in Anantnag on July 22. Both incidents have taken place during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, raising fresh concerns over the security situation in the Valley.Also read: Migrant Worker from UP Injured in South Kashmir, Militant Attack SuspectedFarooq Abdullah has questioned the government’s security narrative. “Here people are being killed, and you say terrorists did it. If the borders are completely under control, then where are these terrorists coming from? Who are these killers?” he asked.The latest attacks come after nearly a year of relative calm following the April 25 attack at the Baisaran tourist resort in Pahalgam, where terrorists killed 25 tourists and a local pony operator. Following the killing of the policeman in Anantnag last month, police rounded up more than 2,500 people across the Valley.The current spate of targeted attacks has unfolded even as Jammu and Kashmir Police continue a large-scale security crackdown, with reports suggesting around 3,500 people, most of them young men, have been detained following the killing of a policeman last month.For migrant workers, however, statistics, investigations and security reviews offer little immediate reassurance.The Wire reached out to Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, seeking his response on the recent attacks and the security arrangements put in place for non-local workers across Kashmir following the latest killings. However, he did not respond to calls or messages till the time of publication. This story will be updated if and when a response is received.