Last Updated on October 13, 2021 at 5:29 pm
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to vacate at least 14 Srinagar hotels where ‘protected persons’ were accommodated, including politicians and officials, saying their safety and security will now be the responsibility of authorities in their respective district.
Amid security high alert, 14 hotels where protected persons were accommodated, have been dehired and the District Commissioners (DCs), Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), SSP Security and SSP PCR, have been given instructions to find out the possibility to accommodate the persons who had accommodations in these hotels.
The decision was taken after the spike up of civilian killings last week as at least seven civilians were killed across the valley.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K. Pole on Saturday stressed upon district authorities that in the wake of the dehiring of accommodation in 14 hotels at Srinagar concerned district admin shall be now solely responsible for the safe and secure
accommodation in the districts.
On Tuesday, several persons who were asked to vacate accommodation marched from Press Enclave to Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to protest against the move.
Protestors said that the administration has snatched their accommodation and left them to get killed.
Altaf Thakur, a BJP leader, who was among the protestors said that as authorities have said that accommodation has been arranged for them ‘protected persons’ at district levels but when district administration is contacted regarding this they do not even receive phone calls.
However a senior police official said that the decision is part of the process that has been taken at least a month ago and has no relation with the current situation.
