Faridabad: A Kashmiri Pandit activist, Rakesh Handoo, has been arrested in Haryana’s Faridabad over his alleged role in issuing terrorist threats against Kashmiri Pandit employees in Jammu and Kashmir. He has been booked under stringent anti-terrorism and cybercrime provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), NDTV reported, quoting police officials.
The case follows an incident in August, when purported threat letters containing the names and contact details of Kashmiri Pandit employees circulated in the Valley, triggering fear among the community. Amid security concerns, hundreds of employees recruited under the Prime Minister’s special employment package were placed on administrative leave and remained away from work for nearly three weeks.
Inspector General of Police Sujit Kumar said investigators had obtained what he described as substantial evidence pointing to Handoo’s alleged involvement. He confirmed that the accused had been booked under the UAPA.
Under the Prime Minister’s special employment package, launched in 2010, around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits have been provided government jobs to support the return and rehabilitation of members of the community displaced following the outbreak of militancy in 1990.
The security concerns surrounding the community intensified in 2022 after targeted attacks killed five Kashmiri Pandits. The killings triggered months of protests by employees recruited under the package, who demanded relocation to Jammu. Although the government did not agree to transfer them to Jammu, employees were moved to locations considered safer in Srinagar and other major towns across the Valley.
More recently, targeted attacks on migrant workers during July and August prompted a wider security operation, during which police arrested more than 3,000 suspected individuals. Authorities described those detained as alleged overground workers (OGWs), a term used for people suspected of providing covert assistance to militants, as reported by NTV.
According to the grounds of arrest reportedly served on Handoo’s wife on October 17, an FIR was registered in the case on September 21. Handoo was initially directed to appear before police in Baramulla on September 26 but allegedly failed to comply despite repeated summons, according to sources.
A police team from Baramulla subsequently arrested him from his residence in Greater Faridabad on October 17.
Handoo, who is associated with Kashmiri Pandit activism, unsuccessfully contested the 2008 Assembly election against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah from the Hazratbal constituency in Srinagar.
