India ramps up information blackout in Kashmir

Tens of thousands of newspapers seized to stave off possibility of unrest.

SRINAGAR: Police seized tens of thousands of newspapers in Indian Kashmir and detained printing press workers, ramping up an information blackout, officials and media outlets said. Saturday’s move came after a week of unrest that left 39 dead.

Teams of officers swooped on major newspaper offices in the restive region overnight, seizing printing plates. It was an attempt to curb news of fatal clashes from spreading as a curfew was extended into its eighth day.

With internet and mobile networks already suspended, authorities halted cable television as well. The move came in fear of news of protesters' deaths which could fuel further protests after the restive region's worst violence in years.



"Police on Saturday night raided the printing press and seized the printed copies of Kashmir Reader," an English language daily said on its website. They also said that adding that eight of its workers have been arrested.

Newspaper copies that had reached some distributors in the main city of Srinagar were also taken by police, said Irfan, a local who gave only one name.

"The policemen seized the plates of Greater Kashmir (newspaper) and more than 50,000 printed copies of (Urdu-language daily) Kashmir Uzma and closed down the GKC printing press," said another group that publishes the region's highest-circulation newspaper. They also reported that three of their workers had been detained.

The disputed territory has been gripped by a week of intensifying unrest sparked by the killing of a popular, young rebel commander, Burhan Wani. His death came in a firefight with government forces on July 8 which resulted in the protest.

"These are difficult times here. This is one of the ways to contain the mayhem," a senior local government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The Indian army also said on Saturday, that it had killed three ‘terrorists’ who tried to enter from Azad Kashmir.



Protesters in the past week have torched police stations and armoured vehicles, and hurled stones at military camps in the restive territory. It is estimated that 500,000 Indian troops, deeply resented by locals, are stationed in the valley.

More than 3,000 people have been injured, including around 200 police. Meanwhile hospitals have struggled to cope with the rush of injured protesters.

Hundreds have bullet wounds including many who suffered severe eye injuries caused by shotgun pellets fired by the police. The violence is the worst since 2010 when huge rallies were crushed, leaving 120 dead.

New Delhi has rushed in more troops to contain the violence and flown in eye specialists to deal with injuries caused by pellets. The fighting in the valley has left tens of thousands, mostly civilians, dead since 1989 when the armed rebellion against Indian rule began.

The latest unrest has heightened tension between the nuclear-armed rivals, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif calling on his nation to observe a ‘black day’ on July 19 in solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2016.