The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), a body of Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley, on Thursday demanded an impartial investigation after a Kashmiri Pandit activist was arrested in connection with threats made against PM-package migrant Pandit employees working in the Kashmir valley.
The Kashmiri Pandit activist, Rakesh Handoo, was arrested from Faridabad in Haryana for allegedly sharing on social media an “altered” digital poster issued by a little-known outfit threatening Pandit migrant employees and workers. Handoo was arrested on October 17 after a complaint by a migrant Pandit employee in Baramulla.
Sanjay K. Tickoo, president of KPSS, issued a statement urging for an impartial and comprehensive investigation.
“The competent authorities must examine the original complaint, relevant digital evidence, the circumstances surrounding the circulation of information and any credible evidence of wider threats, without fear, favour or external pressure,” the statement said.
The organisation has also sought accountability from police and administration for security failures.
“The police and administration must provide appropriate assurances that credible threats against the community are being assessed and addressed. Any substantiated shortcomings in threat assessment, intelligence coordination or protective arrangements should be examined and rectified,” it said.
The KPSS also urged for constructive intervention by community organisations.
“Representative bodies must move beyond factional considerations, facilitate responsible dialogue and demand verifiable answers from the authorities. The collective interests of the community must take precedence over individual disputes,” it said.
They demanded protection of all including PM package employees. “The safety of PM package employees, the security concerns of the wider community and the legal rights, dignity and reputation of every individual involved must be respected,” it said.
The KPSS also demanded evidence-based accountability. “This statement is not an attempt to defend any individual irrespective of the evidence, nor is it intended to dismiss the concerns of any complainant. It is a demand for fairness, institutional responsibility and a comprehensive examination of the facts,” the statement said.
“The safety and future of the Kashmiri Pandit community cannot be secured by finding a convenient person to blame. They can be secured only by confronting genuine threats, correcting institutional shortcomings and ensuring that truth and accountability prevail over speculation, personal rivalries and the politics of public perception,” the statement added.