Kashmiri Pandit Employees Told to Work From Home Amid Renewed Terror Threats

SRINAGAR: Minority Kashmiri Pandit government employees posted in Kashmir have been instructed to work from home after two back‑to‑back terror attacks in south of the Valley and the circulation of online threat posters naming several of them.

Security agencies have uncovered digital threat lists circulating online that include the names and phone numbers of Kashmiri Pandit employees, triggering an immediate and heightened security response across the Valley.

The directive follows two violent incidents that shattered a period of relative calm in the Valley. On June 22, 2026, militants shot dead India Reserve Police head‑constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag in a sudden “shoot‑and‑scoot” attack. Days later, on July 31, militants opened fire at Brick Kiln No. 70 B at Kelam in neighbouring Kulgam, critically injuring two migrant workers from Chhattisgarh—24‑year‑old Deepak Ratray and 28‑year‑old Bhupendra. Deepak succumbed to his injuries at Government Medical College Anantnag, while Bhupendra passed away early the next morning at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) despite sustained medical intervention.

The online threats are believed to have been issued by the United Liberation Council, which, police believe, is a shadow front associated with Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT). The posters listed six Kashmiri Pandit employees, their phone numbers, and claimed access to detailed personal information, including family identities and residential locations. Security forces have since intensified patrolling and surveillance around Pandit habitations.

In response, the administration has advised Kashmiri Pandit employees particularly those appointed under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package to work from home until August 25. The PM Package, introduced in 2008–09, was designed to support the dignified return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits by providing 6,000 government jobs and secure transit accommodations. For many, working in the Valley is a mandatory condition of their employment.

The threats have reignited deep anxieties within the community. The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), representing Pandits who remained in the Valley during the 1990 exodus, said the attacks and the publication of personal details have exposed a “chilling sense of vulnerability.” The outfit questioned how confidential employee information became public, asking whether it was a security lapse, a breach of confidentiality, or a deliberate leak. Its message on ‘X’ was stark: “Fix the loopholes. Protect the vulnerable before history repeats itself.”

Panun Kashmir convenor Dr. Agnishekhar echoed the alarm, calling the publication of names and contact details “a matter of grave concern” and urging Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order a comprehensive threat assessment for the employees and their families. Panun Kashmir is an organization of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

Government departments, particularly schools and revenue offices, have reportedly received verbal instructions to allow Kashmiri Pandit employees to stay home. A school principal noted that migrant employees were first granted special leave on August 5 the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and later told to remain at home until further notice. Although GPS‑based attendance has been made mandatory for teachers in Kashmir, migrant employees have been exempted and allowed to mark attendance manually.

Police sources say they are verifying the authenticity of the threat letter, which warns Pandit employees living outside Kashmir but working in the Valley to “change their ways.” The letter specifically targets those in the Revenue Department, attempting to link their official duties to property seizures.

Security for migrant employees has been strengthened, and those named in the threat posters have been advised to exercise heightened caution. Departments have been informally told to keep these employees off duty until at least August 25.

The situation recalls 2022, when militants carried out a series of attacks on Kashmiri Pandit employees, killing five and triggering widespread protests demanding relocation outside the Valley. The government declined, instead shifting employees to comparatively safer locations within Kashmir.

The renewed threats coming on the heels of fresh terror attacks have once again intensified fears among Kashmiri Pandit employees and prompted community leaders to urge the administration to reassess security protocols, plug information leaks, and ensure robust protection for those who continue to serve in the Valley despite persistent risks.