Srinagar, Apr 27): 1500 Kashmiris mostly traders stranded in Goa on Monday appealed J&K administration to come to their rescue in wake of blanket countrywide lockdown and ensure their evacuation as they run out of money and stock.

Amir Nazir who owns a jewelry shop in Goa said since countrywide lockdown enforced, Kashmiris who had gone outside UT for trade, education and other purposes have been badly hit and stuck under four walls due to lockdown restrictions.

“We are around 1500 Kashmiris stranded in Candolim (north/south) Goa since March 22 when countrywide lockdown was enforced. Authorities both in Goa and J&K have miserably failed to take concrete efforts for our evacuation”, Amir said .

He said traders came to Goa were intended to return by the end of April to their homes but Covid-19 pandemic has badly hit our plans and forced us to remain inside.

He alleged that neither Goa administration nor J&K took any serious effort for evacuating stranded Kashmiris.

Another stranded Kashmiri said that since lockdown execution they are facing acute hardships as their cash and other goods have gone finished. “Our bank accounts are empty now as we withdrew all cash from there for survival.

We are facing shortage of rice and vegetables here from past many days. No officials of Goa administration bothered to provide us any relief”, he said.

They appealed Goa and J&K administration to take concrete measures for their evacuation as other States and UTs did for their respective stranded people.

When contacted, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang Pole, he didn’t reply to repeated messages. (KNS)