Police Carries Searches Across Kashmir To Curb Banned Literature

SRINAGAR: Police across several districts in South Kashmir conducted inspections of bookshops on Thursday, following a Jammu and Kashmir government directive banning 25 books alleged to promote secessionist ideologies and threaten national sovereignty.

Authorities in Zainapora, Anantnag, and Kulgam launched coordinated enforcement drives to ensure compliance with the ban, which was issued under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The banned titles reportedly include works by noted authors such as Arundhati Roy, A.G. Noorani, and Sumantra Bose.

In Zainapora, a team led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) and the Station House Officer (SHO) inspected multiple bookshops to verify that none of the proscribed titles were available for sale. According to official sources, no banned material was found during the checks, although shopkeepers were sternly warned against stocking or distributing the literature in question.

Meanwhile, Kulgam police carried out similar searches at bookshops across the district, stating that the operations were “coordinated and legally monitored.” Bookstore owners were cautioned about the legal consequences of non-compliance and urged to report any circulation of banned material.

In Anantnag, district police conducted a district-wide enforcement operation specifically targeting materials alleged to glorify terrorism or promote secessionist narratives. The initiative, according to police, forms part of a broader move to uphold public order and safeguard the integrity of the state.

Authorities have called for public cooperation and vigilance, urging citizens to report any suspicious activity or possession of banned literature to the nearest police station.

The banned books were declared forfeited on grounds that their content “excites secessionism and endangers the sovereignty of India”, according to government statements.