BJP Regime Detains Dr. Abdul Bari Naik Under PSA in IIOJK: A Crackdown on Kashmiri Voices

Dr. Abdul Bari Naik, Kashmiri academic and activist, detained under PSA by BJP regime in IIOJK. Rights groups condemn repeated misuse of black laws.

In yet another blow to civil liberties in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the BJP regime has once again used black laws to target Kashmiri voices. Dr. Abdul Bari Naik, a respected academic and human rights advocate from Kulgam, has been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA)—a law notorious for enabling prolonged imprisonment without trial.

According to reports, Dr. Naik voluntarily appeared at a Srinagar police station following a police summons. Instead of following a transparent legal process, authorities informed his family that he had been booked under the PSA, effectively bypassing judicial scrutiny and violating basic human rights.

Dr. Naik, formerly an Assistant Professor of Geography at Government Degree College, Udhampur, has long been in the BJP administration’s crosshairs. He was earlier arrested by Cyber Police for alleged social media activity and later granted bail. In 2021, he faced charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)—another controversial law heavily criticized by rights bodies for criminalizing dissent.

That same year, Dr. Naik and two other government employees were dismissed from service without inquiry under the order of then Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, appointed by the BJP-led central government. These actions paint a clear picture of targeted suppression, especially toward those who speak up for justice and democratic rights in Kashmir.

In a related development, Muslim League leader Assadullah Parray was re-arrested in Hajin, Bandipora, barely a month after his release from two years of detention. Police reportedly stormed his residence and detained him again without formal cause. His repeated arrests underline the brutal cycle of harassment faced by Kashmiri political leaders.

The repeated misuse of the PSA and UAPA to silence voices like Dr. Abdul Bari Naik and Assadullah Parray must be called out by the international community. These detentions are not about law and order—they are part of a wider campaign of state repression. It’s time to demand justice, transparency, and the protection of fundamental rights in IIOJK.