According to police recommendations, investigating their involvement in activities that are harmful to national security, the Jamu and Kashmir authorities have detained 23 individuals under the strict Public Safety Act (PSA).
All detainees (residents of the Srinagar region) are placed in prisons outside the Kashmir Valley, including in Poonch, Udhampur and Kot Balwal (Jammu), where the district court formally issued the PSA detention order based on police files. Police described the defendant as a “terrorist partner” associated with prohibited clothing and “illegal acts” involving disturbing public order.
Under PSA, an individual who does not need to be tried can be detained for a period of three months to two years. The National Conference Government, originally led by Sheikh Abdullah, was enacted in 1978 to curb timber smuggling, a law that has been frequently cited by successive governments against political opponents. Amnesty International is known as “unlawless” due to its grand power, and the 2018 UN report on Kashmir calls for its revocation.
According to official sources, the latest detention is following the approval of the Srinagar District Magistrates Judge, according to detailed police files.
A statement issued by the police said:
“As a result, they have been detained and detained in the regional prisons of Ponsch, Udhamper and Chamu. They have been put on several criminal cases. Despite bail, they are continuing to engage in activities that disrupt public order and national security.”
The statement further added that the Srinagar police systematically targeted and demolished anti-social and anti-social infrastructure through ongoing repression and reaffirmed their commitment to restoring public order.
Police warned: “The long arms of the law will be earlier than expected and every criminal will face justice.”
J&K police detained hundreds of individuals, including former militants, members of separatist groups, allegations of ground workers (OGWS) and other alleged troublemakers, following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack. Many people have booked under the PSA and other strict laws. Security forces also demolished the houses of at least ten wanted militants, including suspects.
However, the outright repression has been criticized by political parties and civil society groups, who warned that “collective punishment” has the potential to further alienate the Kashmiris population. J&K detained 23 Srinagar residents under PSA for suspected anti-international activities; police warned of strict action.
At the same time, the police believe that these actions are a necessary and decisive step to dismantle terrorist networks and combat anti-national factors on the coalition territory.
