Jammu and Kashmir: FIR filed after Hizbul Mujahideen threat letter to Congress, BJP leaders

The letter, sent to Congress leader Raman Bhalla last week, warned political leaders to relinquish politics or face consequences.

The police in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday filed a first information report after Congress leader Raman Bhalla purportedly received a threat letter from militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, PTI reported. The letter, in which Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were also named, warned the political leaders to relinquish politics or face consequences.

“We have registered a case under relevant sections of the law and further investigation is on,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Shridhar Patil told PTI.

The two-page letter was written in Urdu and delivered by post to Bhalla at the Congress headquarters on September 11, officials said.

It was signed by a self-styled divisional commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and named 17 senior politicians of various national and regional parties. This includes Union minister Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina, former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, National Conference provincial chief Devender Singh Rana, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan leader Choudhary Lal Singh and National Panthers Party chairperson Harsh Dev Singh, among others.

“We warn you to renounce politics and support our cause for freedom otherwise death warrants have been issued against you,” the letter read. “No security cover will safeguard you from us...the work has already started and those who can attack Parliament or Red Fort can kill you as well.”

It added: “In coming days, no Indian or politician supporting India will be left alive in Kashmir. Half of Jammu is already with us but there are some politicians who are an obstacle to our cause for freedom.”

Bhalla, who is senior vice president of Jammu and Kashmir Congress and a former minister, said he approached police soon after receiving the letter. “We will not be cowed down by such threats from anti-national elements,” he said. “We have stood against the terror unleashed at the behest of Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three decades and will continue to perform our duties to make Jammu and Kashmir free of terrorism, peaceful and prosperous.”

Harsh Dev Singh said he has demanded a high-level inquiry into the letter. “I have raised security concerns many times after receiving threats from BJP leaders in the past but instead of taking action on my complaint, I was deprived of security cover by the administration,” he added. “The probe is necessary to unravel the truth behind the threat.”

The National Panthers Party leader said he has only one personal security officer despite being an MLA for three successive terms, whereas a BJP worker is given 10 security guards with accommodation and vehicle for movement.