Srinagar: A Kashmir Pandit activist has been arrested for his alleged involvement in recent terrorist threats against Kashmiri Pandit employees in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rakesh Handoo was arrested in Haryana’s Faridabad and charged under the stringent anti-terrorist and cyber-terror charges, sources said.
They said, in August, panic gripped Kashmir Pandit employees in Kashmir after purported threat letters against some employees with their names and contact details were circulated. Following threats and safety concerns of Pandit employees, hundreds of employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s special employment scheme for Kashmiri Pandits were sent on administrative leave and asked to stay away from duties for almost three weeks.
“Police have got substantial and serious clues about his involvement. He has been booked under UAPA,” said Sujit Kumar, Inspector General of Police.
According to the grounds of arrest served to Handoo’s wife on October 17, police have said that the accused has been arrested for a non-bailable offence. Initially, he was asked to appear before the police in Baramulla on September 26 after an FIR was registered on September 21. Sources say despite repeated summons, Handoo failed to appear before the police.
On October 17, a police team from Baramulla arrested him from Greater Faridabad in Haryana.
Handoo, a pandit activist, had unsuccessfully contested the 2008 Assembly elections against National Conference President Farooq Abdullah from the Hazratbal constituency in Srinagar.
Kashmiri Pandit leader Sanjay Saraf has termed the arrest as unfortunate and demanded that charges against Handoo be reviewed.
“He was arrested from his Faridabad residence. It’s not good for the community which has suffered due to terrorism, and now a community activist has been booked under cyber terrorism,” said Saraf, Lok Janshakti Party leader.
