Srinagar, Aug 01: Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Kashmir Valley have been asked to work from home temporarily following fresh online threats issued by a purported terror group, triggering heightened security concerns among the community.
The purported threat letter, attributed to the United Liberation Council (ULC), named six Kashmiri Pandit employees working in a government department and allegedly shared their phone numbers and other personal details, including information about their families and locations. The authenticity of the threat has not been independently verified.
Following the threats, security has reportedly been strengthened in areas inhabited by Kashmiri Pandits, with increased patrolling and surveillance.
A Kashmiri Pandit employee recruited under the Prime Minister’s package told The New Indian Express that employees had been instructed to work from home until August 25.
The development has prompted concern among Kashmiri Pandit organisations, which have sought stronger security measures for employees working in the Valley and their families.
Ranjan Jotshi, vice-president of the All Migrant Displaced Employees Association Kashmir, called for adequate protection for the employees named in the threat and for all Kashmiri Pandit employees posted in the Valley.
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) also raised questions over how the personal information of the employees became public, describing the disclosure as a serious security concern and calling for the loopholes to be addressed.
Panun Kashmir convenor Agnishekhar urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to direct security agencies to conduct a comprehensive threat assessment of the employees named in the purported letter and their immediate families.
The latest threats come after a series of terrorist attacks in south Kashmir last month in which a policeman and two migrant workers from Chhattisgarh were killed.
The fresh threats have once again heightened concerns over the security of Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley, with community groups calling for stronger protection and a review of existing security arrangements.
