The editors condemned the raid as a “coordinated attempt to silence independent journalism,” insisting that criticising the government is not inimical to the state and calling on authorities to withdraw the charges.
The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday raided the Jammu office of the Kashmir Times newspaper, recovering cartridges of AK rifles, rounds of pistols, and hand grenade pins during a search linked to allegations that the publication was promoting activities against the country.
Officials said SIA teams conducted a thorough search of the premises, including computers, as part of the investigation. The promoters of the newspaper are expected to be questioned in the coming days.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary reacted cautiously, saying that action should follow only where wrongdoing is established. “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.
Founded in 1954 by veteran journalist Ved Bhasin, the Kashmir Times has long been regarded as pro-separatist. Ved Bhasin, who also served as president of the Jammu Press Club, passed away in recent years, after which his daughter, Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal, along with her husband Prabodh Jamwal, took over the management and editorial responsibilities.
Anuradha Bhasin and Prabodh Jamwal are currently abroad. The newspaper has not been publishing its print edition from Jammu since 2021–22, though its online edition remains active. Ved Bhasin’s name had also surfaced in the Ghulam Nabi Fai terror seminar controversy years ago.
PUBLICATION CALLS RAID AN ATTACK ON PRESS FREEDOM
In a joint statement, editors Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal and Prabodh Jamwal condemned the raid, calling it a “coordinated attempt to silence independent journalism.” They said, “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 editors urged authorities to withdraw the charges and stop what they described as harassment, appealing to media colleagues, civil society, and citizens to stand in solidarity. They reiterated that journalism is not a crime and stressed that their commitment to truth will continue despite the raid.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, criticised the raid, calling it “preposterous” and an example of state “high-handedness.” She said the Kashmir Times was among the few newspapers in the region that “spoke truth to power and refused to bend or buckle under pressure and intimidation.”
