The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu & Kashmir Police launched a large-scale search on Thursday at the office of the Kashmir Times in Jammu, intensifying scrutiny over alleged links to a secessionist conspiracy.

The search operation, conducted at the newspaper's Residency Road headquarters, was said to be linked to suspicions of the daily promoting anti-national activity.

According to police sources, the raid uncovered a cache of incriminating material that included AK-47 cartridges, pistol rounds, and three grenade levers.

These items were reportedly recovered from the premises during the search, which began early in the day and continued for several hours under the supervision of an Executive Magistrate.

In conjunction with the raid, authorities registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Kashmir Times. The charges include allegedly spreading disaffection, glorifying secessionist sentiments, and threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both India and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

Police asserted that the investigation is focused on exposing a purported criminal conspiracy involving the media house and entities branded as “anti-national,” both within and outside the region.

A formal police statement outlined that the raids were carried out as part of ongoing efforts to probe the newspaper’s alleged involvement in collaborating with groups identified as secessionist and hostile to Indian sovereignty.

The police further stated that the editorial leadership of Kashmir Times, specifically Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin, has also been named in the FIR, although further details regarding her alleged involvement were not immediately disclosed.

The development marks a significant escalation in the government’s monitoring of media organisations in the region, especially those perceived to be critical of official policy or suspected of offering platforms to dissenting voices.

At the time of the report’s filing, the management of the Kashmir Times had not issued any formal statement or response to either the raid or the allegations contained in the police FIR.

Kashmir Times, established by Ved Bhasin in 1954 as a weekly publication and later converted into a daily in 1964, is recognised as one of the oldest and most respected news outlets in Jammu & Kashmir. 

With decades of history, the newspaper has played a prominent role in chronicling the region’s complex political and social landscape, often remaining an important touchstone for both reportage and editorial commentary in the state.

The ongoing investigation is expected to shed more light on the specific nature of the allegations and the evidence cited by authorities, though at present, the case highlights growing tensions between media freedom and national security concerns across Jammu & Kashmir.

Agencies