Police Arrest Kashmiri Pandit Activist Over Alleged Cyberterror Threat Material

Police in Jammu and Kashmir have arrested a Kashmiri Pandit activist in Haryana after investigators accused him of altering and sharing online terror threats directed at government employees in the region.

Officers from Baramulla arrested 59-year-old Rakesh Handoo, also known as Bunty, at his residence in Greater Faridabad on Oct. 17 following a complaint from a local finance department employee.

The arrest follows weeks of anxiety in the Kashmir valley after threat letters naming workers appointed under a federal rehabilitation program were circulated across social media platforms.

"Police have got substantial and serious clues about his involvement," said Sujit Kumar, Inspector General of Police.

Official records show that authorities registered the case under cyberterrorism provisions of the Information Technology Act after an altered threat list linked to a militant group appeared online.

Community leaders questioned the charges and called for an impartial investigation into the activist's detention.

"His arrest from his residence in Faridabad and subsequent detention at Baramulla Jail has caused deep concern among those who know him and his work," said Sanjay Saraf, a Lok Janshakti Party leader.

"It's not good for the community which has suffered due to terrorism, and now a community activist has been booked under cyber terrorism," Saraf said.

The complainant, Rohit Raina, filed a report after finding his name included on an altered document that purportedly originated from the Resistance United Liberation Council.

According to The Hindu, police seized eight social media posts and requested technical analysis from the Forensic Science Lab to examine the electronic material.

Police said Handoo had repeatedly ignored legal summons directing him to appear before investigators in Baramulla before the arrest team traveled to Haryana.

Republic World reported that Handoo cited security threats for his inability to travel to Kashmir and had requested permission to join the investigation through video conferencing.

Handoo previously ran for public office against former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in 2008 and had petitioned national rights panels in August over data leaks.

While NDTV reported that police booked Handoo under anti-terror charges, official documents cited by Republic World and The Hindu focused primarily on provisions of the Information Technology Act.

Police sources said the broader investigation into recent threats against migrant employees remains ongoing while officers evaluate technical evidence in the case.