Srinagar, Aug 7 (KDC): A day after the Jammu and Kashmir administration issued an order forfeiting 25 books for allegedly promoting secessionism, radicalisation, and glorifying terrorism, police on Thursday launched coordinated operations across South and North Kashmir, targeting bookshops to curb the circulation of banned literature.
Searches were carried out in Kulgam, Zainapora (Shopian), and Sopore in Baramulla district, with police teams inspecting multiple bookshops and issuing strict warnings against stocking or distributing proscribed materials.
In an official statement to Kashmir Dot Com, Kulgam Police said the operation was conducted in a legally monitored and professional manner. Bookshop owners were sternly cautioned about the consequences of violating the government’s directive and were instructed to strictly adhere to relevant legal provisions.
Similarly, police officials in Zainapora area of Shopian carried out field inspections to verify compliance with the forfeiture order. In Sopore, police under the jurisdiction of Sopore Police District (PD) also initiated thorough checks at local bookshops, ensuring that no banned publications remained in circulation.
Police across all three districts said that such drives would continue, and any attempt to promote or possess banned literature would invite strict legal action. Citizens were urged to report suspicious material or activities related to proscribed publications.
The enforcement follows Statutory Order No. 203, issued by the J&K government on August 6, which invoked Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, allowing the state to forfeit publications deemed harmful to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The banned titles include “Azadi” by Arundhati Roy, “The Kashmir Dispute (1947–2012)” by A.G. Noorani, “Kashmir in Conflict” by Victoria Schofield, “In Search of a Future” by David Devadas, “Independent Kashmir” by Christopher Snedden, and “Colonizing Kashmir” by Hafsa Kanjwal, among others. Several of these books are published by reputed houses such as Penguin, Oxford University Press, Verso, Cambridge, Zubaan, and Routledge/Manohar.
According to the order, the banned books promote a “culture of grievance, victimhood, and terrorist heroism,” and contribute to “distorting historical facts, glorifying terrorism, vilifying security forces, and fostering separatist ideologies.” The government cited sections 152, 196, and 197 of the BNS, dealing with acts that endanger sovereignty, promote enmity, and incite violence.
The administration stressed that the action is part of a broader crackdown on radical content in print and is aimed at curbing ideological subversion among youth in the Union Territory. Further reviews of educational, academic, and political literature are reportedly underway.
Police reiterated its commitment to maintaining peace and security, and called upon the public to cooperate in identifying and eliminating the spread of banned or subversive content. (KDC)