Kashmiri Pandit Employees Sent on Leave After Reported LeT Threat

Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit government employees have been placed on administrative leave until August 25 following a purported threat letter circulated by a group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, officials said.

The letter, which named specific employees and listed their contact details, triggered widespread concern among the community. Official sources said all employees appointed under the Prime Minister's special employment package have been advised to move to safer locations. Those explicitly named in the threat have been relocated to Jammu, the sources added.

“After the threats, police have advised us not to attend work, and those who are still living in the Valley have been asked not to come out of their homes,” said Amit Koul, a Kashmiri Pandit employee.

Police said they are investigating the threat and have enhanced security measures. “It's a precautionary measure. We are investigating these threats and taking necessary steps to ensure everyone's safety,” said a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named.

Around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits have been given government jobs under the Prime Minister's special employment package introduced in 2010. The initiative was aimed at facilitating the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits who were displaced from the Valley after the outbreak of the secessionist movement in 1990.

The latest directive comes amid heightened security concerns following a series of recent incidents. In 2022, terrorists carried out targeted attacks on Kashmiri Pandit employees, killing five. That led to months of protests by package employees demanding transfers to Jammu. While the government refused to relocate them to Jammu, they were shifted to safer locations in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley.

After an attack in Anantnag on July 22 that killed a policeman, and a subsequent attack on migrant workers in Kulgam, security officials have warned of possible further violence, including against minority communities. Officials said patrolling around areas inhabited by minorities and Kashmiri Pandit employees has been intensified.

In view of the security environment, the annual Amarnath Yatra was curtailed and suspended weeks before its scheduled conclusion. Officials cited low pilgrim turnout, weather advisories, and repair work on tracks as reasons for stopping the yatra from August 9.

Authorities have also launched a significant security crackdown since July 22, detaining more than 3,000 suspects. Police describe these individuals as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) — a term used for those who covertly assist terrorists. While police maintain that local recruitment into terrorist groups has nearly ceased, the scale of mass arrests has raised questions about the ground-level complexities and the legal implications for those detained.

The security situation for Kashmiri Pandit employees remains tense, with authorities balancing precautionary measures against the need to maintain normalcy. The administrative leave is being viewed as a temporary step to ensure safety while investigations continue.