Kashmiri Pandit activist Rakesh Handoo arrested in Haryana

Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested Rakesh Handoo, a Kashmiri Pandit activist, from Faridabad, Haryana, in connection with the circulation of threatening letters targeting minority employees in the Kashmir Valley.

Handoo is accused of altering and spreading digital threat letters allegedly issued by the ‘United Liberation Council’ (ULC), a front for the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba. Investigators claim the messages were modified to specifically target certain individuals, such as Rohit Raina, a staff member of the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Package (PMRP). The circulation of these threats in August and September caused widespread panic, leading hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit government recruits to remain on administrative leave and stay away from their workplaces for nearly three weeks.

Handoo has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various cyber-terrorism provisions of the Information Technology Act, including Section 66F. Police officials stated that Handoo failed to appear for questioning despite multiple summons. The arrest follows a broader security crackdown in the region that has seen thousands of suspected overground workers detained.