Group flags online terror threat issued against Pandits in Kashmir, seeks probe

A Kashmir Pandit organisation on Sunday (August 9, 2026) expressed concerns over purported online threats issued by terrorists to Pandits living in the valley and demanded a probe. It said the threats have “forced many minority community employees” working in the in the Muslim-majority Jammu & Kashmir to “go on leave”.

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A spokesperson of Panun Kashmir, one of the Jammu-based organisations of Kashmiri Pandits, said a purported threat communication dated August 7, 2026 and issued in the name of the United Liberation Council “has specifically named members of the Kashmiri Pandit community and disclosed their telephone numbers”.

“The communication represented a serious escalation because it went beyond generic threats and appeared to identify individuals as potential targets while claiming access to information about their families, locations and places of work,” said Agnishekhar, convenor of Panun Kashmir.

Mr. Agnishekhar demanded an investigation into the authenticity of the claims made in the letter. He also urged J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha “to immediately direct the police and security agencies to undertake a comprehensive threat assessment of all persons named in the communication and their immediate families”.

Official sources said scores of Kashmiri Pandits working in Kashmir under the Prime Minister’s package have left the valley in the face of the fresh threat. They said departments in “volatile and sensitive locations” in Kashmir have allowed Pandit employees to go on leave till August 20. However, there has been no official communication from the government.

The Pandit organisation also sought appropriate security measures for the individuals identified in the communication and a review of the security of Kashmiri Pandit employees working in sensitive government departments.

Referring to the letter, Mr. Agnishekhar said it needed to be established whether the perpetrators actually possessed such information or were “attempting psychological warfare”. “The authorities must investigate the source of the information, the digital trail behind the communication and whether any surveillance, profiling or reconnaissance of the targeted persons has taken place,” he added.

A sense of fear returned to Kashmir after terrorists killed one policeman and two non-local labourers in south Kashmir in the past 20 days in two separate targeted killings. According to police sources, a local Lashkar-e-Taiba militant could be involved in these targeted killings.

JeI premises searched

Meanwhile, the J&K police conducted coordinated searches at 26 locations across Sopore in north Kashmir in connection with the cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the banned socio-religious organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).

“The searches were carried out at residential and other premises linked to the JeI leaders, members and activists across different areas of Sopore. During the searches, incriminating documents, literature and electronic devices were recovered and seized from various premises. The seized material is being examined as part of the ongoing investigation to ascertain further linkages and activities connected with the proscribed organisation,” said the police.

The police said the operation forms part of sustained efforts to dismantle networks and ecosystems associated with proscribed organisations and separatist activities and to take firm action against activities “prejudicial to the security, sovereignty and integrity” of the nation.