J&K Denies Work-from-Home for Pandits; Community Demands Probe into Data Leak

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday (August 14, 2026) refuted reports of any work-from-home orders for Kashmiri Pandit employees, even as the community approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) over an alleged leak of personal data linked to a purported terror threat letter.

Rakesh Handu, a Kashmiri Pandit social activist, said he was in touch with six Pandit employees whose names and mobile numbers appeared in the threat letter circulated online. According to Handu, these employees have been shifted to Jammu for safety. On their behalf, he has submitted a representation to the NHRC and NCM, seeking an investigation into the leak.

“For the last few days, threat letters and lists are again circulating. These lists contain name, department, place of posting, and personal mobile numbers of PM Package employees. This is not isolated. Similar lists were published by Kashmir Fight / TRF (The Resistance Front) blog in 2022 (56 employees) and 2023 (57 PM Package teachers),” Handu said in the letter.

The representation also referenced targeted killings of Rahul Bhat and Rajni Bala after 2019, noting that “many of Pandit employees had submitted en masse resignations citing threat to life.” The letter stated, “When a religious minority serving the Government is openly threatened, named, and told not to hoist the national flag, it is a test of human rights and minority rights in a democracy.”

Handu demanded a First Information Report (FIR) and a probe by the police’s Cyber Cell and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He also called for an immediate security audit of all PM Package employees and transit camps, especially before the August 15 Independence Day celebrations. “Till threat assessment is complete, allow work from home or attachment to Jammu,” the letter added.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Anshul Garg, stated on Friday that no order had been issued asking Pandit employees to work from home. “The administration has made necessary security arrangements for employees, residents and the general public ahead of the Independence Day celebrations in Srinagar. We should rely on the authentic information channels that are provided by the government and the administration,” Garg said.

Reacting to Garg’s statement, Handu sought clarification from the J&K administration, asking, “Why are these contradictory statements coming from Honourable Divisional Commissioner Kashmir?”

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, responding to the situation, said that while militancy may be declared “finished,” a credible threat cannot be taken lightly. “But a credible threat cannot be taken lightly. Those responsible for security must act decisively, identify those behind it, and ensure foolproof protection,” Abdullah said.

The development comes amid heightened security concerns ahead of Independence Day. The J&K administration has maintained that it is taking all necessary precautions, while the community continues to press for transparency and protection of its members’ data and lives.