Intensified Crackdown in IIOJK: Thousands Detained Under Pretext of Security

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident, Indian forces have launched one of the largest repression campaigns in recent years—detaining thousands of Kashmiris under vague and politically charged accusations.

A sweeping crackdown is underway in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with the State Investigation Agency (SIA)—under the control of New Delhi—leading aggressive operations in coordination with Indian police and paramilitary forces.

Massive raids have been reported in various districts, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, and Handwara. These operations are being carried out under the frequently cited allegation of links to “pro-freedom activists”—a pretext repeatedly used by Indian authorities to detain, intimidate, and suppress the local population.

This latest surge in repression comes in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam false flag operation, which served as a convenient justification for an already escalating security clampdown. Since that incident, the situation in the region has dramatically worsened. More than 3,000 Kashmiris have been arrested in a matter of weeks, making it one of the most widespread detention drives in IIOJK in recent years.

Rights activists and local observers believe that these operations are less about law enforcement and more about silencing dissent. Accusations of association with pro-freedom movements are routinely used to justify home raids, arbitrary detentions, and the confiscation of property—without the due process of law.

According to multiple accounts, families are often kept in the dark regarding the whereabouts and legal status of their detained relatives. In many cases, young men are picked up in the dead of night, with no arrest warrants or charges formally announced. Legal assistance is often denied, and access to justice remains virtually non-existent under the draconian laws that govern IIOJK.

This ongoing campaign of repression is reflective of a larger policy by the Modi-led government to crush political dissent and resistance to occupation. Rather than addressing the root causes of unrest in IIOJK—most notably the unresolved issue of self-determination—the Indian government has resorted to brute force and surveillance.

The global silence over these violations has only emboldened Indian authorities. Despite numerous appeals by human rights organizations, international bodies have failed to intervene or even speak out decisively against the ongoing abuses in IIOJK.

The use of state machinery, such as the SIA, to criminalize dissent and target civilian populations marks a dangerous erosion of civil liberties in the region. What is unfolding in IIOJK is not a security operation but a concerted campaign of political repression.

As the number of arrests grows, the need for international attention and accountability becomes more urgent than ever. Without global pressure, the cycle of suppression in IIOJK is likely to deepen, pushing the region further into conflict and despair.