Security personnel keep vigil outside Maulana Azad Stadium, in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (PTI Photo)After a threat letter was posted online warning Kashmiri Pandits working in the Valley to “change their ways”, and publishing the details of some of them, the Jammu and Kashmir government is learnt to have instructed departments under it to send Kashmiri Pandit employees on leave. The government is also learnt to have asked them to remain alert and move to safer places.This letter emerged around a week after the two migrant workers were killed at a brick kiln in south Kashmir’s Kulgam on July 31, putting the security establishment on high alert.Police sources say they are verifying the authenticity of the letter circulated online by a group called the United Liberation Council, which could be another front of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).Police sources say the letter warned Kashmiri Pandits who reside outside Kashmir but work here to “change their ways”. The letter also had the names and phone numbers of some migrant employees.While the government has not issued a formal order, verbal instructions are learnt to have been passed to various departments, particularly schools and revenue departments, to tell Kashmiri Pandits to stay at home.As part of their rehabilitation, around 6,000 people received benefits under the Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package for Kashmiri Pandits over the years. One of the conditions is that they work in the Valley.Police sources said the letter specifically threatens employees working in the Revenue department and attempts to link their work to the government seizing properties of terrorists.Story continues below this adSources said that while security for migrant employees has been enhanced, as a precautionary measure, they have been asked not to attend work until August 20. Sources said that the employees whose names were circulated have been asked to be particularly vigilant.A principal of a government school said they were initially told to be lenient about migrant employees’ attendance. “First, we were verbally told to allow special leave for them on August 5 (the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370). Then, we were informed that they should be asked to stay home for some time,” a school principal said.Also Read | In Kashmir, ex-boyfriend sent drugs to newlywed’s home, tipped off policeWhile the government has made online GPS-based attendance mandatory for teachers in Kashmir, migrant employees have been exempted and are allowed to mark their attendance on an arrival book, it is learnt.In 2022, militants carried out a string of attacks on migrant Kashmiri Pandit employees. Five people were killed in these attacks, prompting a protest demanding transfers outside Kashmir. The government refused to accept their demand and posted them at safer locations in different parts of the Valley.Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More