A new threat letter targeting Kashmiri Pandits working in the Kashmir Valley has surfaced, naming several members of the community and revealing detailed information about their residences, raising fresh security concerns, officials and media reports said on Monday.
The communication, which emerged nearly two weeks after a similar warning was circulated online, names around six Kashmiri Pandits and includes details such as their house numbers and street names in different parts of Jammu, according to The Indian Express.
The individuals were described in the letter as “white collar terrorists” and “traitors” allegedly working for their “masters” in Delhi.
Security agencies are examining the latest communication and an earlier threat letter to establish their authenticity and identify those responsible, officials said.
The inclusion of detailed personal information has particularly alarmed security agencies. Officials told The Indian Express that it was the first time in decades that threats against Kashmiri Pandits had reportedly included information as specific as house numbers and street names.
The letter has been attributed to a group calling itself the United Liberation Council (ULC), which security agencies suspect could be a front for the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The latest communication attempts to distinguish between Kashmiri Pandits who remained in the Valley during the militancy of the 1990s and those who left. While claiming that those who stayed back had nothing to fear, it specifically threatened members of the community who migrated from Kashmir and those accused of pursuing what it described as an “RSS agenda”.
The letter warned that the targeted individuals were being monitored regardless of their location.
Earlier this month, another threat letter circulated online naming several Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley and publishing the phone numbers of some of them. The employees were warned to stay indoors and “change their ways”.
Following the earlier threat, the Jammu and Kashmir administration directed government departments to place Kashmiri Pandit employees on “leave” as a precautionary measure. Employees were also advised to remain vigilant and move to safer locations if necessary.
Police sources had said the earlier communication appeared to target some Revenue Department employees over their alleged involvement in government action against properties linked to militants.
The threats come as authorities continue efforts to facilitate the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits under the Prime Minister’s employment package and other government initiatives.
The first letter also came days after two migrant workers were killed by militants at a brick kiln in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on July 31.
The ULC first drew the attention of security agencies in July after issuing a poster marking the death anniversary of former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, according to officials.
The fresh threat has added to concerns over the security of Kashmiri Pandit employees who returned to the Valley under government rehabilitation and employment schemes.
