Jammu: Jammu & Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) raided the Jammu office of the Kashmir Times newspaper on Thursday and recovered cartridges of AK rifles, some rounds of pistols and hand grenade pins.
The raid was carried out after a case was registered against the media organisation and its promoters for allegedly promoting activities against the country.
The SIA team conducted a thorough search of the newspaper’s premises on Residency Road and computers in the case registered under Section 13 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
“The raids are against alleged involvement in anti-national activities, attempts to spread disaffection against the country and peddling narrative of separatists,” Hindustan Times quoted sources as saying.
Kashmir Times, owned by Anuradha Bhasin, is regarded as pro-separatist publication.
One of the oldest publications in the region, Kashmir Times was founded in 1954 by veteran journalist Ved Bhasin. After he passed away, his daughter Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal and her husband Prabodh Jamwal took over the management and editorial responsibilities.
The promoters of the publication, who are currently abroad, are likely to be summoned for questioning soon.
‘Attempt to silence independent journalism’
Editors Anuradha and Prabodh condemned the raid in a joint statement, calling it a “coordinated attempt to silence independent journalism.”
“Criticising the government is not the same as being inimical to the state. A robust, questioning press is essential to a healthy democracy The accusations levelled against us are designed to intimidate, to delegitimise, and ultimately to silence. We will not be silenced,” the statement read.
The editors urged authorities to withdraw the charges and stop “harassment”, appealing to media colleagues, civil society and citizens to stand in solidarity.
Kashmir Times has not been publishing its print edition from Jammu since 2022, but its online edition remains active.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and late Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti slammed the raid.
“Raiding their offices under the guise of carrying out anti-national activities reeks of high-handedness. In Kashmir, every outlet of truth is being choked by invoking the anti-national slur. Are we all anti-nationals?” she posted on X. She further said that the Kashmir Times was among few newspapers in the region that “spoke truth to power and refused to bend or buckle under pressure and intimidation.”
Jammu & Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Singh Choudhary was cautious in his reaction.
“If they have done something wrong, then action should be taken.. if you do it only to (build) pressure, then that will be wrong,” he told reporters.
