The localities were often abuzz with people talking in typical Bihari accent. From grocery shops to ubiquitous Pan stalls, Barbers to tailoring shops, everything was manned by them.

However, all of a sudden anger started brewing up against the non-local work force following the police revelation about involvement of two non-local labourers in the rape and slaughter of a teenage girl, Tabinda Gani in north

Kashmir's Langate Village .

The situation got polarised following a call by veteran separatist hardliner, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and subsequent threats by Hizbul Mujadeen the largest indigenous militant outfit in Kashmir and Jaish-e-Muhammed asking non-locals to leave the valley within a week's time.

The ultimatum created panic and fear among thousands of non-Kashmiri labourers who had stay put in urban as well as rural areas of Kashmir valley. The circumstances caused an exodus of non-locals, who were seen packing their bags and vacating the rental settlements.

Geelani in the earlier statement asked for the exit of outsiders stating that large numbers of criminal elements were being infiltrated into Kashmir "under a conspiracy".

The quit Kashmir call came after four persons, two of them non-locals were arrested by the police in connection with the alleged rape and subsequent slaughter of a 14-year-old girl.

Tabinda, an eighth class student was kidnapped by the group of four persons on Friday,July 20, while she was coming back from the school. These persons were heavily drunk and dragged the teenager in a maize field.

Her cries for safety evoked no response as most of the people had gone to offer the Friday prayers. The group gang rapped the teenager and subsequently murdered her by silting her throat, said the police investigation.

The mysterious killing created a furore in the entire district. No sooner the news of arrest and involvement of non-local workers was made public, ire was directed towards non-local labourers and the diktats from separatist organisations asking non locals to leave within week's time were issued.

People in north Kashmir took the lead in droving out the non-locals from the valley.

Thousands of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and other Indian states are presently working in the valley as carpenters, masons, barbers, electricians, painters while others are working as unskilled labourers in both industrial and agricultural sectors.

However following the public criticism particularly by the newspapers through their editorials condemning the forced exodus call given by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he was forced to reconsider the quit call by softening his stand that workers with criminal background should be seen off. He even condemned the militant organizations not to indulge unnecessarily in the social issues that could be sorted out through negotiations.

This was followed by the backtrack of Hizbul Mujahidden  from the earlier statement saying Hizb does not believe in punishing hundreds and thousands for the crimes of a few and its appeal to all non-Kashmiri labourers to continue their work in the Valley with ease.

Human rights activists in the valley describe the call as a human rights violation and are critical of the statements issued by the separatist organisations.

"These people are the economic migrants and have come here to fill the gap and earn their livelihood. Geelani is asking the criminals from outside the state to be chased out but what about the criminals active in

Kashmir," said Khuram Parvez, known human rights activist and project manager of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil societies (JKCCS), Srinagar.

"What will be the reaction of Geelani, if Kashmiris working outside are asked to leave," he questions.

However, the non-local labourers continue to flee Kashmir despite threat revocation by guerrillas and assurance by the hardliner separatist leaders that only criminal elements need to leave the Valley.

"We are leaving because of the terror created in our hearts by the statement of Geelani and Hizbul Mujahideen. Now they have taken the call back, if something untoward happens, who will be responsible," said, Satish Yadav , a labourer from the Bihar.

After the threat, he said, their family members back at his home are worried about his safety and want them to return back. "To hell with the money that has life at its stake. I am going back to my village and will take some job there," he said.

Satish worked as a painter in Srinagar's Rambagh area. "There backtrack from the statement hardly matters. Whosoever met us on streets, was asking us to leave. Even the policemen are not ready to protect us," he adds

Like Satish there are hundreds of these workers having booked their seats for a journey back home with State Road Transport Corporation and waiting for their turn to board the bus at the Tourist Reception Centre (SRTC).

Thousands of outsider labourers have left Kashmir following the threat and even beelines of such labourers are seen at the government owned as well as privately run transport services.

"It was a hectic week and we were forced to press additional buses into service. The process seems unending," said an SRTC official referring to the long queue outside the ticket counter struggling for tickets.

Today the transport officials are plying 18 buses daily in place of the usual 10.

Abdul Halim along with others has been visiting Kashmir for the past ten years. He is a surprised man today. "During these ten years none of us was ever harassed or targeted by any Kashmiri. Now I fail to understand what has happened suddenly. If someone among us has committed a mistake, let police punish him, why at all should others suffer," he said.

Halim was residing in Hawal area of the city and was asked by his house owner to check-out.

Some house owners and landlords who have rented their houses and buildings to non-locals too are apprehensive of the warrants and hostile attitude towards non locals and are asking them to vacate their buildings.

"I have asked them to vacate my house to avoid any untoward incident. Suppose if tomorrow someone targets them in my house, who will be held responsible," said a landlord at Hawal pleading not to be named.

There have also been reports of police asking landlords to be responsible for the safety and conduct of non-locals that has made them apprehensive. However police denied such reports.

Kuljeet, a carpenter from Punjab has been putting up in Kashmir for the last three years.

He waited for a few days after the calls for exit came up last week. Finally he decided to leave.

"Wherever we go people ask us why we haven't left. Some of us were beaten up by people asking us to leave, so why should we stay put," Kuljeet said.

Om Prakash Thakur, a painter from Bihar has been coming to Kashmir .

The locals however are apprehensive that some miscreants are threatening these workers to leave the valley for they presume them as threat to their livelihood. The locals even fear that labour charges will get doubled in the absence of work force.

"It is totally absurd. In Kashmir we don't have that much of workforce that is why they come here. In their absence the locals will charge the people heavily," said Mohammed Hussain of down town

The call for non-Kashmiris to leave the Valley also came from the employee union, Jammu and Kashmir Joint Workers and Labours Union, Srinagar , and Kashmir Bar Association.

The unprecedented number of alien work force has long been a concern among people in Kashmir for its economic and social implications.

The local skilled and non skilled labour scene was gradually dominated by the outsiders. In addition a large number of beggars had moved to the region giving rise to slums, hitherto unknown to region.

Locals accuse the outsider workforce of increasing consumption of alcohol drugs and sex trade, things the conservative Kashmiri Muslim society is averse to.

The dormant animosity has suddenly brewed into a storm after the

Langate incident. Although two local men were also involved in the rape and slaughter of Tabinda Gani, locals blame the proximity with the non local elements for the brutal manner in which the rape and murder of the minor girl was executed.