Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed serious concern regarding threats made against Kashmiri Pandit employees. He emphasized the need for authorities to take these threats seriously and called for immediate action against those responsible. Abdullah also urged for enhanced security measures to protect these employees in the region.
“Targeted killings of minorities have taken place. Many employees were planning to flee, but they were locked inside their camps. This threat should not be taken lightly.
The chief minister said that given the history of targeted killings of minorities in the Valley, many employees had attempted to leave but were “locked inside their camps”. There should be action against those who are behind such threats, and the security of Kashmiri Pandit employees should be ensured,” the chief minister said. Following the threats, official sources said all employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package were advised to shift to safer locations. Those named in the threat letter have been safely shifted to Jammu, sources said.
“It’s a precautionary measure. Around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits have been given government jobs under the Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package, which was rolled out in 2010 to facilitate the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits displaced from their homeland following the outbreak of the armed insurgency in 1990.
“After the threats, police advised us not to attend work, and those who are still living in the Valley have been asked not to come out of their homes,” said Amit Koul, a Kashmiri Pandit employee. Police said they were investigating the threats and taking necessary security measures to ensure the safety of the employees. We are investigating these threats and taking necessary steps to ensure everyone’s safety,” a senior police officer said. Earlier reporting noted: Abdullah said people from different faiths live and work in Kashmir and questioned why Kashmiri Pandits had been specifically targeted.
Earlier reporting noted: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has questioned the recent terror threats against Kashmiri Pandit employees in the Valley and demanded an inquiry by the Union Home Ministry. Earlier reporting noted: The threats have prompted the government to send hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit and other minority employees on administrative leave amid heightened security concerns.
