The ongoing infighting within the displaced Kashmiri Hindus group came to the fore when Panun Kashmir expelled its chairman, Ajay Chrungoo.
He has been accused of having foreign links and of communicating with Pakistani ISI agent Ghulam Nabi Fai, who is alleged to pursue an anti-India agenda on the Kashmir issue. Consequently, the Panun Kashmir High Command sought clarification from Ajay Chrungoo, but he failed to provide any.
In this context, Panun Kashmir Convener Agnishekhar, after taking his team—including General Secretary Kuldeep Raina, Organising Secretary Bihari Lal Kaul and other members—into confidence, issued a circular expelling Ajay Chrungoo. Tito Ganju has also been nominated as the Chairman of Panun Kashmir.
The Panun Kashmir leadership stated that the decision was taken to safeguard the aspirations of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community and to preserve the direction and ideology of their struggle.
According to the circular, following a controversial article alleging that Fai is an ISI agent, serious concerns were raised about the functioning of the Panun Kashmir organisation. Allegations were made regarding deviations from the organisation's ideological principles, attempts to hinder its progress, and efforts that could weaken the organisation.
The circular also referred to Ajay Chrungoo's statements criticising the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It said there were several other statements with which Panun Kashmir disagreed. The organisation had also raised questions regarding his foreign visits, sponsorships, and alleged interactions with Fai, and he was asked to provide clarification.
However, when no response was received even after a year, Panun Kashmir decided to take action.
Panun Kashmir General Secretary Kuldeep Raina said the organisation did not take the decision hastily and had given Chrungoo nearly a year to clarify his position.
"However, Ajay Chrungoo continued to act arbitrarily, which was not beneficial for the Kashmiri Hindu community. I personally met Chrungoo on March 14, 2025, along with my team, and discussed all the issues with him. We urged him to work for the upliftment of the organisation, but that did not happen," Raina said.
Formed on December 31, 1990, in Jammu following the mass exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley, Panun Kashmir has witnessed internal differences and splintering over the years.
Reacting to the decision to expel him from the organisation, Ajay Chrungoo said it was an attempt to sabotage the work of Panun Kashmir.
"All these allegations are fake, false, and fabricated. Whenever I travel, I meet many people. When I went to America, I met several people. Ghulam Nabi Fai also came there. However, I neither agree with Fai's views nor support his agenda," he said.
Historically, Panun Kashmir has split into multiple factions. The core founders included groups led by Agnishekhar (Panun Kashmir), Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo (Panun Kashmir Movement), and Ajay Chrungoo (Panun Kashmir Foundation), all of whom continued to work for the community on separate platforms.
Despite past differences and the formation of separate groups such as the Panun Kashmir Movement (PKM), there have been attempts to reunite these splintered groups to create a unified voice. However, the organisation remains a key—though often contested—voice within the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and has at times differed with other organisations on how to negotiate with the government.
Fai's property has already been attached in Kashmir on NIA court orders
In December 2025, a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) ordered the attachment of property belonging to Ghulam Nabi Fai, a US-based Kashmiri lobbyist who was convicted of acting as an agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The order was passed by Judge Yahaya Firdous after Assistant Public Prosecutor Mohammad Iqbal Rather sought attachment of Fai's property under Section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Section 85 of the BNSS), stating that the court had declared him a proclaimed offender on April 26 this year. The case pertains to FIR No. 46/2020, registered under Sections 10, 13, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
On the order of the Court, Fai's property was attached by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Originally a resident of Budgam district, Fai was declared a proclaimed absconder in April 2025 after failing to respond to a 30-day notice directing him to appear before the police. The case against him had been registered in 2020.
Acting on an application filed by the investigating officer, the prosecution sought attachment of Fai's personal property comprising land measuring one kanal and two marlas in Wadwan village and 11 marlas in Chattabugh village of Budgam district.
