LeT proxy groups threaten Kashmiri Pandits in J&K, security tightened
The threatening posts described Kashmiri Pandits using the derogatory term "snakes," and published the names and contact numbers of several activists and employees.
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Security has been tightened in the Kashmir Valley after proxy groups affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) put out threats on social media targeting Kashmiri Pandit employees and community members who have moved back to the region. In light of this, authorities have directed Pandit employees to work from home until August 20, while security agencies work to identify and track down those running the online threat campaign.
A newly emerged group called the "United Liberation Council" (ULC), which intelligence agencies believe is another LeT proxy, has separately released its own threat message along with a hit list naming Kashmiri Pandit government employees. The list includes names and phone numbers of individuals working under various government schemes. It warns of attacks both within the Valley and in Jammu, asserting that relocating elsewhere would offer no real safety. The group also criticised the security measures put in place for migrant employees and issued warnings aimed at the Lieutenant Governor, the DGP, and central government officials.
Given that these threats are viewed as deliberate psychological warfare intended to spread fear, damage communal harmony, and derail rehabilitation efforts, security agencies are treating them with utmost seriousness. Administrative sources indicate that regional security and governance bodies are reassessing protective measures in response to the escalating threat levels and the spread of these digital warnings.
As a precaution, flexible work arrangements, including the option to work from home, have been extended to Kashmiri Pandit employees in the Valley until August 20. At the same time, cyber-cell and security teams are keeping a close watch on social media platforms to trace the origin of the viral content, counter the proxy propaganda, and reinforce security at transit camps and residential areas where minority employees are housed.
As per the reports, the propaganda platform "Kashmir Fight," which has ties to both LeT and The Resistance Front (TRF), was behind the threatening posts against Kashmiri Pandits, which also disclosed the phone numbers of six individuals. Intelligence sources believe the campaign forms part of a broader psychological operation orchestrated by Pakistan's ISI, which has been creating new proxy fronts to carry out such activities.
The threatening posts described Kashmiri Pandits using the derogatory term "snakes," and published the names and contact numbers of several activists and employees. Residents were incited to torch their homes, destroy their crops, refuse them shelter, and target them wherever found, with warnings that anyone offering assistance would be treated as complicit.
A newly emerged group called the "United Liberation Council" (ULC), which intelligence agencies believe is another LeT proxy, has separately released its own threat message along with a hit list naming Kashmiri Pandit government employees. The list includes names and phone numbers of individuals working under various government schemes. It warns of attacks both within the Valley and in Jammu, asserting that relocating elsewhere would offer no real safety. The group also criticised the security measures put in place for migrant employees and issued warnings aimed at the Lieutenant Governor, the DGP, and central government officials.
Security agencies note that these proxy outfits are relying on social media and posters to instil fear and hinder the return and rehabilitation of the community, with additional pressure being applied through hybrid militants and local operatives on the ground.
Given that these threats are viewed as deliberate psychological warfare intended to spread fear, damage communal harmony, and derail rehabilitation efforts, security agencies are treating them with utmost seriousness. Administrative sources indicate that regional security and governance bodies are reassessing protective measures in response to the escalating threat levels and the spread of these digital warnings.
As a precaution, flexible work arrangements, including the option to work from home, have been extended to Kashmiri Pandit employees in the Valley until August 20. At the same time, cyber-cell and security teams are keeping a close watch on social media platforms to trace the origin of the viral content, counter the proxy propaganda, and reinforce security at transit camps and residential areas where minority employees are housed.