BJP Regime Intensifies Crackdown on Kashmiris with Property Seizure in Poonch

In another alarming move, Indian authorities have once again tightened their grip on the people of IIOJK, seizing civilian property under controversial laws that stoke fears of further marginalization.

Authorities under the control of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), enforced by New Delhi, have confiscated the ancestral land of a local Kashmiri resident in the Poonch district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to reports, the Indian police, during a coordinated crackdown, took possession of an agricultural plot measuring one kanal and 11 marlas belonging to Mohammad Riyaz in the Kasblari Mankote area.

This land was seized under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)—a law widely criticized for its misuse, especially in the Kashmir region. The UAPA is frequently deployed to target civilians and suppress political expression.

Authorities claimed that Riyaz had alleged links with pro-freedom sentiment and the call for azaadi (freedom). Such accusations have often been used by Indian forces to legitimize harsh actions against ordinary Kashmiris.

The seizure is part of a larger, troubling trend. Since the Indian government, led by the BJP, revoked Article 370 and stripped IIOJK of its special status in August 2019, there has been a noticeable escalation in land grabs and demolitions of private property.

These moves are widely seen as part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent, enforce economic repression, and bring about demographic changes in the disputed region. Locals and activists view these acts as efforts to dilute the identity and demands of the Kashmiri people.

Rights groups argue that such property seizures are not only unjust but also violate international law. IIOJK is still recognized by the international community as a disputed territory, and any unilateral action altering its demography or ownership patterns is deemed illegal.

Speaking out against this recent confiscation, a human rights activist emphasized that India has no legitimate authority to carry out such acts. The ongoing oppression, they added, is designed to crush the region’s long-standing call for a UN-supervised plebiscite and the right to self-determination.

This latest incident has added to the growing list of measures that reflect India’s increasing militarization and authoritarian control in IIOJK. It also signals a troubling future for many more Kashmiri families whose properties and livelihoods remain under threat.