150 Kashmiris Booked for VPN Use as India Intensifies Brutal Digital Repression in IIOJK

Srinagar: Indian authorities in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have crossed yet another red line by criminalising basic digital privacy, as around 150 Kashmiris were booked only for using Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications on their mobile phones. This move openly exposes India’s fear of free information and its desperation to hide the truth about the occupation from the outside world. What India calls “law enforcement” is, in reality, a coordinated campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing ordinary people. The action proves that New Delhi is now willing to treat even routine internet use as a crime to maintain its grip over IIOJK.

India’s Growing Fear of Digital Freedom

India’s latest crackdown clearly shows that the occupying authorities are deeply afraid of free and open communication in IIOJK. VPNs are widely used across the world for privacy, education, work, and security, yet in Kashmir they have been turned into tools of “crime” by design. This action reflects an insecure state that cannot tolerate uncensored access to information. India’s fear is not of crime, but of exposure.

◆ Targeting Ordinary Citizens: India is not arresting criminals but students, workers, and common citizens, which proves that the aim is to scare society as a whole into silence.
◆ Criminalising Privacy: By booking people for VPN use, India is effectively declaring that digital privacy itself is illegal in IIOJK.
◆ Message of Fear: This crackdown sends a clear warning that no personal space, even on a mobile phone, is safe under Indian occupation.

The Scale of Repression Across Districts

The numbers alone expose the organised nature of this repression. Indian police carried out widespread phone checks across multiple districts under direct orders from New Delhi’s appointed administration. The crackdown was not random but carefully planned. It reflects a system that uses numbers and fear as tools of control.

◆ Pulwama Under Siege: 95 cases in Pulwama show how heavily certain districts are being targeted to break local resistance.
◆ Valley-Wide Operation: 23 in Sopore, 15 in Shopian, 9 in Kulgam, and 5 in Islamabad confirm that no area is being spared.
◆ Fear Beyond the Valley: Arrests in Doda and Rajouri show that repression is spreading beyond Kashmir into the Jammu region.

Abuse of Law as a Weapon

India has used the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to justify this digital witch-hunt. Laws meant to maintain public order are now being twisted to punish basic online behaviour. This misuse of law exposes how legal systems under occupation lose all moral value. Instead of justice, the law has become a weapon.

◆ Legal Cover for Repression: The BNSS is being used to give legal colour to illegal actions against civilians.
◆ No Due Process: People are being booked without transparency, showing that law is being applied selectively.
◆ Rule by Intimidation: Such laws create an environment where fear replaces rights.

India’s False Security Narrative

Indian authorities claim VPNs threaten “security,” but this argument collapses under scrutiny. VPNs do not create violence; they enable access to information. India uses security as a convenient excuse to hide its failures. The real threat for India is that the world may see the truth.

◆ Security as an Excuse: The word “security” is repeatedly misused to justify censorship and surveillance.
◆ Truth as the Real Threat: India fears that uncensored voices from Kashmir will expose ground realities.
◆ Hiding Human Rights Abuses: VPN bans help India block evidence of repression from reaching global audiences.

Long History of Digital Suppression

This crackdown is part of a long chain of digital restrictions imposed since August 2019. Internet shutdowns, slow speeds, and social media bans have already damaged education, business, and healthcare. Kashmir has become one of the most digitally restricted regions in the world. The VPN ban is simply the next step.

◆ Post-2019 Controls: After the illegal revocation of Kashmir’s status, internet freedom was systematically destroyed.
◆ Economic Damage: Students and small businesses suffer most from constant digital uncertainty.
◆ Surveillance State: Every online activity is now watched, tracked, and judged.

Democracy Claims Exposed

India often calls itself the “world’s largest democracy,” yet its actions in IIOJK tell a very different story. Democracies protect privacy; they do not criminalise it. Democracies encourage free speech; they do not ban tools that enable it. India’s claims collapse when tested in Kashmir.

◆ Democracy in Name Only: Arresting VPN users shows authoritarian behaviour, not democratic values.
◆ Colonial Mindset: India treats Kashmir as a controlled territory, not a region with rights.
◆ Propaganda vs Reality: Global speeches cannot hide local oppression.

Impact on Kashmiri Society

The human cost of this crackdown is severe and deliberate. Fear now extends into homes and personal devices. People hesitate before opening apps, contacting family, or accessing news. This is psychological control, not governance.

◆ Mental Pressure: Constant fear creates stress and uncertainty in daily life.
◆ Youth Targeted: Students relying on VPNs for education and research are being punished.
◆ Economic Harm: Online work and freelancing suffer due to restricted access.

A Clear Case of Digital Occupation

The booking of around 150 Kashmiris for VPN use confirms that India is enforcing a full-scale digital occupation. Control over land is no longer enough; control over information is the new goal. This policy will not bring peace but deepen anger. History shows repression never creates stability.

◆ Digital Walls: India is building invisible barriers to isolate Kashmir from the world.
◆ Resistance to Truth: Suppressing information only strengthens the resolve of the oppressed.
◆ Global Responsibility: Silence from the world allows digital tyranny to grow unchecked.

 India’s Fear-Driven Crackdown in IIOJK

India’s decision to book around 150 Kashmiris for VPN use is a shameful act that exposes its fear, insecurity, and authoritarian approach in IIOJK. By criminalising digital privacy, India has openly declared war on basic freedoms. This is not governance; it is domination. The world must recognise this digital repression for what it truly is and hold India accountable for its actions.