The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday beganevacuation of non-local students from National Institute of Technology Srinagar(NIT), a day after the administration asked Amarnath pilgrims and tourists toleave Valley in the wake of terror threat.In a notice Friday evening, the NITadministration said that the class work in the institute stands suspended tillfurther orders.“The above notice stands issued in accordance with instructionsreceived from the district administration, Srinagar,” the notice said.

On Saturday morning dozens of NIT students carrying theirluggage were seen waiting for buses to ferry them outside the Valley. Around800 students are enrolled in the NIIT and half of them are from differentstates of the country.An official at the NIT said that they were asked by theadministration that students should be sent home. “The buses were arranged bythe administration. We don’t know why this decision has been taken.’’Sincemorning students were waiting for the buses. “We were informed to leave theValley. Now we are waiting for the buses,” said an NIT student from UttarPradesh.

Meanwhile, the administration was making arrangements toferry tourists outside the Valley in buses and by air. Dozens of tourists andyatris were waiting outside the Tourist reception centre in Srinagar looking formeans of transport to leave the Valley. Officials said that government has alsoarranged buses to move tourists to the Srinagar airport and Jammu. Manytourists paid extra money for air tickets to get out of Kashmir

Ravi Khanna from Rajasthan who had arrived in Valley twodays ago had to cut short his visit after the government’s advisory on Friday.“Soon after the advisory was issued I decided to leave the Valley. I got airticket on a higher price. Apparently situation looks normal but we can’t ignorethe advisory.”A hotelier in old city told Hindustan Times that 10 tourists lefthis hotel early in the morning. “They (tourists) left for Jammu. The policealso asked us to inform tourists to leave Kashmir as there is threat to them,”he said.The administration’s evacuation notice for outsiders has riled locals,including Srinagar’s mayor Junaid Azim Mattu.“Tourists being asked to vacatehouseboats in Dal Lake, Yatris asked to leave, non-local students beingevacuated from NIT, Srinagar —- what “security advisory” could possibly meritthis mass evacuation of everyone but local Kashmiris? How is this being passedas normal?’’ Mattu tweeted.

On Friday Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra said theadvisory was issued in the wake of threat to Amarnath yatra. “There was inputabout serious threat to the yatra so advisory was issued to yatris many of whomare also tourists. All the top officials from the government including GovernorSatya Pal Malik have already made it clear that there is nothing to panic. Weare here to serve and secure our people and we will do it. We issued advisoryonly because tourists and yatris are non-locals and they don’t know the exactroutes in case of any exigency.’’