The Esodus of Kashmiri Pandits or Hindus is their migration from the Kashmir valley in Indian-administered Kashmir in the early 1990s as a result of growing insurgency violence. Eighty to ninety percent of the total population of 1.2 million to 1.4 million pandits evacuated or were forced to leave the valley; those who refused were executed. During the period of significant migration, the insurgency was led by a movement advocating for a secular and independent Kashmir, but there was also an increasing number of Islamic factions advocating for an Islamic state. Targeted assassinations of high-profile leaders created an atmosphere of dread and panic throughout the state. The migration was caused by the Indian government's absence from the state and the lack of safety assurances.