Two days after a terror outfit issued a threatening letter warning of attacks on Hindu employees working in the Kashmir Valley, the Union Territory administration has informally asked nearly 3,000 Kashmiri Pandit employees, including those appointed under the Prime Minister's employment package, non-package employees and other migrant employees, to work from home until August 20.
Employees belonging to Scheduled Castes who have been working in different parts of the Kashmir Valley have also been advised to remain vigilant.
The employees have also reportedly been kept out of Independence Day stadium duties, according to sources and credible media reports, as security agencies maintain heightened vigilance across the Valley ahead of the August 15 celebrations.
While no formal written order has been issued so far, verbal directions have reportedly been conveyed to officers, heads of departments and Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) to allow the employees to remain away from physical duty during the period and ensure that they do not face administrative difficulties due to their absence.
The decision followed a representation submitted by some employees to Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labroo, seeking exemption from physical attendance and Independence Day duties in view of security concerns.
The employees' body had sought relaxation until August 25, but the administration has so far allowed it until August 20.
Terror Group Issues Threat
The move comes after an alleged threat letter surfaced online, warning Kashmiri Pandits working in the Valley to "change their ways" and reportedly carrying the names and phone numbers of some migrant employees.
As reported earlier, the letter has raised concerns over the safety of Kashmiri Hindu government employees in Jammu and Kashmir.
The United Liberation Council, described by intelligence agencies as a shadow terrorist organisation affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, has issued a fresh threatening letter warning of attacks on Kashmiri Hindu employees.
The terror outfit has threatened attacks in both Kashmir and Jammu. Following the threat, security agencies have been alerted and are investigating the matter.
According to intelligence agencies, the United Liberation Council is a shadow front of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The organisation has released a document that is believed to contain a hit list of Kashmiri Hindu employees.
In the fresh letter, the United Liberation Council has made public the names and phone numbers of six Kashmiri Hindu employees working under the prime minister's employment package.
According to intelligence sources, the primary purpose of making the employees' personal details public is to instil fear among them and expose their identities in an attempt to facilitate targeted attacks. The terrorist organisation has claimed in the threatening note that it is constantly monitoring government departments, particularly the Revenue Department, where some of these employees are posted.
The threatening letter calls for attacks in both the Kashmir Valley and Jammu. The outfit has warned Kashmiri Hindu employees that even if they move from the Kashmir Valley to Jammu, they will not be completely safe. It has threatened that they could be targeted outside Kashmir as well.
The terror organisation has also opposed the administrative facilities provided to migrant Kashmiri Pandit employees, including work-from-home and remote-working arrangements. It has threatened to continue targeting such employees despite these arrangements.
The terror outfit has also warned the lieutenant governor, the director general of police and officials in Delhi. Another part of the note contains threats against local police personnel. It claims that more than 90 per cent of local police personnel live and travel within their respective areas.
On this basis, the terror outfit has threatened to attack police personnel anywhere and at any time. It has also threatened immediate and strong retaliation against any action by security forces or local administrations to confiscate or seize the properties of terrorists and their supporters.
