Raid on Kashmir Times draws ire of journalists, rights groups

SRINAGAR, Kashmir (MNTV) — The raid on the Kashmir Times newsroom by the State Investigation Agency has triggered strong criticism from journalists, activists and global press-freedom advocates, who say the action underscores a tightening clampdown on independent media in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials have filed a case against the newspaper and its executive editor, Anuradha Bhasin, accusing them of activities “threatening the sovereignty” of India. 

The editors said the allegations were “baseless” and part of a “coordinated crackdown” on one of the region’s oldest English-language newspapers. “Criticising the government is not the same as being inimical to the state… A questioning press strengthens our nation. It does not weaken it,” the statement said.

The raid drew immediate condemnation from journalists across India. Several senior reporters described the move as politically motivated and warned it reflected a wider pattern of shrinking democratic space.

The Hindu’s Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar wrote: “Democracy dies in darkness… and in silence against such patently politically motivated raids.”

Others emphasized the symbolic weight of targeting a publication with a decades-long record of reporting on rights abuses and governance failures. 

Activist Shabana Hashmi said the paper was “one of the last independent voices for truth, accountability and public-interest reporting,” calling the raid “an attack on free press.” 

Media commentator Geeta Seshu called the action “totally condemnable,” saying Kashmir Times remained “the only authentic source of information left in Kashmir.”

Political voices also weighed in. PDP leader Aditya Gupta said the newspaper had exposed key stories on human rights abuses and enforced disappearances “through every threat and every pressure,” adding that the outlet “never bowed before the state and always stood by the truth.”

Press-freedom groups said the incident reflected a growing trend of punitive action against critical reporting. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists’ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder said the raid was “deeply troubling,” urging authorities to explain the legal basis and stressing that “news outlets should not face punitive action simply for doing their journalistic work.”

The CPJ urged authorities to return any documents or property seized during the raid and ensure no member of Kashmir Times is threatened with criminal charges for their work.

Kashmir Times said the raid had to be viewed in the context of mounting pressure on independent newsrooms in the region over recent years. 

The editors said repeated administrative and legal actions have sought to undermine its ability to operate freely, especially after the region’s political and security landscape shifted in 2019.

In their statement, the editors said the accusations were “designed to intimidate, to delegitimize, and ultimately to silence,” adding that the organization would continue its work despite the pressure. 

The newspaper appealed for an end to official harassment and urged authorities to uphold constitutional guarantees of press freedom.

As part of its response, the newspaper noted that previous restrictions had already forced it to scale back print operations in 2021-22, with its reporting now primarily continuing through digital platforms. 

Editors Anuradha Bhasin and Prabodh Jamwal said the outlet remains committed to keeping its journalism accessible to the public.