Asgar Ali, a 28-year-old who worked at an apple orchard in Kulgam district of Kashmir, returned to his village in Malda district four days ago.

Ali, who had worked in Kashmir for over four years, felt unsafe in the Valley after the recent killings of five migrant workers.

“Everything was fine there even a few weeks back. However, after migrant workers were killed by unidentified militants, I felt it was no longer safe to stay there. Even the police there are not confident about protecting us and so I decided to return home,” said Ali, who hails from Nayabusty in Kaliachak.

It was a hard decision.

The youth used to make Rs 22,000 a month in Kashmir. He is now jobless in Malda, and doesn’t know how to run his five-member family.

Along with Ali, some 1,500 workers have returned to home in Malda district, mostly in Kaliachak, from Kashmir.

Akbar Sheikh, who is from the same area, said they did not know why militants were targeting migrant workers. “It might be a conspiracy to drive us away. But whatever be the reason, we are now jobless,” said Sheikh, who would make around Rs 20,000 a month in a carpet factory.

Sources in the state intelligence agencies estimated that roughly 5,000 workers from Malda work in Kashmir, mostly in apple orchards or in carpet-making units.

“My employer in Kulgam expressed his helplessness and said it was better if we left for our home states. He assured us once things improve, he will call us,” said another youth back in Malda.

Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, the Congress MP of Malda south, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention in the situation for the security of these workers so that they can return to Kashmir. “It (Kashmir) is an integral part of India and there is no reason why workers of Malda can’t work there freely and safely. I have urged the PM to see to it that they can work there safely,” he said.

“Also, the home minister has been there and he too, should look into the issue,” he said.