Web Desk (MNN); The State Investigation Agency (SIA) in India-occupied Kashmir on Thursday raided the office of Kashmir Times — the region’s oldest English-language news agency — as part of a wider crackdown on media outlets allegedly “aiding separatist narratives,” Indian media reported.
In a joint statement, editors Prabodh Jamwal and Anuradha Bhasin condemned the raid, calling it “yet another attempt to silence us.”
According to The Indian Express, the raid followed the registration of an FIR accusing the organisation of “anti-national activities” and attempts to create “disaffection against the country.”
Citing official sources, the report said the FIR listed communications and activities deemed “potential threats to India’s sovereignty and integrity.”
SIA officials searched documents, digital equipment, and other material during the raid, which began at 6am after the agency summoned manager Sanjeev Kern to unlock the office. Officials also indicated that Anuradha Bhasin may be questioned.
The report said the operation was part of SIA’s continuing action against networks suspected of promoting separatist or “unlawful propaganda.” The agency maintains that “no platform — media or otherwise — can be permitted to advance seditious or anti-national content.”
Editors Call FIR ‘Baseless’, Say Press Being Silenced
In their statement, the Kashmir Times editors demanded an immediate halt to “harassment,” insisting the accusations were baseless.
They stressed that “criticising the government is not the same as being inimical to the state,” adding that a questioning, independent press strengthens democracy rather than weakens it.
They said their organisation was being targeted specifically for its journalism.
“In an era when critical voices are increasingly scarce, we remain one of the few independent outlets willing to speak truth to power,” they said, calling the allegations an attempt “to intimidate, delegitimise, and ultimately silence.”
They vowed to continue their work, saying: “Journalism is not a crime; the state may have the power to raid our office, but it cannot raid our commitment to the truth.”
The editors recalled that their office was sealed “without due process” in 2020, and the print edition suspended in 2021–22 due to sustained pressure, forcing the outlet to operate digitally.
CPJ Expresses Concern
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) termed the raid “deeply troubling” and urged authorities to return any seized property and ensure Kashmir Times staff are not threatened with criminal charges for their work.
CPJ’s Asia-Pacific Programme Coordinator, Kunal Majumder, said the raid highlighted “increasing pressure on media outlets in Jammu and Kashmir” and called for transparency and due process.
Bhasin told CPJ she was unaware of an FIR filed against her and noted that the Jammu office has been non-operational since 2022 due to financial difficulties, housing only old computers and archival material from the decades-old publication founded by her father, Ved Bhasin.
Media freedom in occupied Kashmir has historically been heavily restricted. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s press freedoms have declined significantly, with Reporters Without Borders ranking the country 142nd in 2020 — below Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
