SIA Raids Kashmir Times Office in Jammu Amid Probe Into Alleged Anti-National Content
Early morning searches at Jammu headquarters intensify pressure.
In a pre-dawn operation on Thursday, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police executed extensive searches at the head office of Kashmir Times, one of the region’s oldest and most respected English-language newspapers, located on Residency Road in Jammu. A large team of SIA officials arrived shortly after first light and remained inside the two-storey building for several hours, combing through files, computers, servers, and other digital devices while local police maintained a tight outer cordon to secure the premises.
The raid is directly linked to FIR No. 02 of 2025 registered under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which accuses the newspaper of disseminating content allegedly detrimental to India’s sovereignty and likely to disturb public order. Sources within the investigating agencies revealed that the focus was on retrieving material that could substantiate claims of anti-national propaganda, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of the publication’s editorial stance.
Kashmir Times has faced sustained administrative action in recent years, most notably in October 2020 when its long-standing office in Srinagar’s Press Enclave was abruptly sealed by the Estates Department without prior notice. The newspaper’s executive editor, Anuradha Bhasin, had earlier petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the prolonged internet blockade imposed after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019, highlighting concerns over freedom of press and expression in the newly formed Union Territory.
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Thursday’s operation has sent shockwaves through media and civil society circles, renewing fears about shrinking space for independent journalism in Jammu and Kashmir. Observers point out that Kashmir Times, established in 1954, has maintained a consistently critical voice on issues of governance, human rights, and civil liberties, often placing it at odds with official narratives.
As of now, neither the SIA nor the newspaper management has issued an official statement regarding the precise nature of the material seized or the next steps in the investigation. The development, however, underscores the continuing tension between security imperatives and press freedom in one of India’s most sensitive regions.
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