Fresh threat letter sparks concern among Kashmiri Pandit employees

Kashmiri Pandit government employees working in the Kashmir Valley under the Prime Minister's Special Package are facing renewed anxiety after another threat letter, purportedly issued by a group calling itself the United Liberation Council (ULC), surfaced on social media. The letter, dated August 23, lists names, residential addresses in Jammu, vehicle registration numbers, and phone numbers of some employees, according to multiple reports.

The All PM Package Employees Forum Kashmir has written to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, seeking enhanced and adequate security cover for all PM Package Kashmiri Pandit employees posted in the Valley. The forum acknowledged that the authenticity of the poster has not yet been verified by police or security agencies but expressed "grave concern" over the repeated circulation of such threat letters containing sensitive personal information.

Employees' defiant response

One employee, speaking to ANI, said, "We will neither be scared nor run away this time. Kashmir is ours also. It is our birthplace." The employee noted that a threat letter was issued in the first week of August as well, and now another has been uploaded that includes addresses, vehicle numbers, and even phone numbers. "I request the Administration and Security agencies to find out the origin of these threat letters and who is providing them with all the information," the employee said.

Sunny Raina, president of the All PM Package Employees Forum, told The Tribune that he believed this was the 37th threat letter since 2022, although other reports have cited him as saying it could be the 36th or 37th. Raina also claimed that sixty per cent of employees have already left for Jammu due to the threat issue, and that employees posted in South Kashmir were not attending offices. He raised concerns over the leakage of sensitive personal information, asking, "Isn't this a big security lapse?"

Details of the threat

The latest poster reportedly names around six Kashmiri Pandit employees and labels them "white-collar terrorists," "traitors," and "pawns," warning, "Wherever you are and wherever you go, we are watching your every move… calamity strikes when it must." The poster is signed by an individual identifying himself as Ahmed Bilal. Security officials have noted that such granular personal data has rarely appeared in militant threat communications in recent decades, raising questions about possible leaks or access to government records.

This is the second ULC-linked communication in less than three weeks. An earlier poster, circulated around August 7, similarly named six employees and published their phone numbers while threatening both Pandit staff and local police personnel. Following that initial threat, the J&K administration advised departments to keep PM Package employees on leave until around August 20, though Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg clarified that no formal order had been issued for work from home.

Security agencies and officials respond

Security agencies, which view ULC as a likely proxy of proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, have intensified verification and counter-measures. A senior police officer described the threats as "psychological warfare" and "empty fear-mongering tactics from Pakistan," adding that police were on their toes to identify those behind them. The officer claimed that only one active terrorist from Kulgam remains and that new recruitment had completely stopped, though he acknowledged that terrorists might still attempt to target a Kashmiri Pandit, migrant labourer, or off-duty police officer to create fear psychosis.

J&K Minister Javed Rana was quoted as saying, "Pakistan is always up to their mischief; they and the people inside should be kept under surveillance." Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged security agencies to take the threats seriously and noted that law and order is the responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor.

Forum's demands and community reactions

The forum has called for immediate protection for employees whose details appeared in the threat, a review of security arrangements at places of posting, residential accommodations, and transit routes, and a thorough verification of the latest poster. It also appealed to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to consider sending a delegation to meet employees. The forum referred to previous targeted attacks, including the killing of PM Package employee Rahul Bhat in 2022, and said repeated threats have created a deep sense of fear and insecurity among employees and their families.

A Kashmiri Pandit community member told IANS, "These letters are painful to our parents because of the 1990 genocide." Sanjay Kaul, president of the All Minority Employees Association Kashmir, raised concern over vehicle registration numbers in the threat and called for an investigation into how the information was accessed. The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti called the publication of confidential data a "chilling vulnerability," and Panun Kashmir convenor Dr. Agnishekhar urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order a comprehensive threat assessment for employees and their families.

Context of targeted attacks

Recent attacks have heightened concerns. On June 22, India Reserve Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi was killed in an attack in Anantnag, and on July 31, militants opened fire at a brick kiln in Kulgam, critically injuring two migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh, Deepak Ratray and Bhupendra, who later died in hospital. In 2022, militants carried out targeted attacks killing five Kashmiri Pandit employees and others. Around 6,000 to 9,000 PM Package employees continue to work in the Valley, according to various estimates.

The forum has asked authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough verification of the fresh threat letter and identify those responsible if it is found to be genuine or deliberately circulated to intimidate. Sources said investigations were being conducted to ascertain how personal details of employees were leaked, and that a group of Kashmiri Pandits also approached Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg, who assured them that all necessary measures were being taken. Meanwhile, employees have sought work-from-home arrangements as an immediate precaution, or adequate security at their residences and workplaces.