AK rifles, ammo seized from Kashmir Times office in Jammu; newspaper denounces raid, says it ‘will not be silenced’

THE State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out searches at the Kashmir Times office in Jammu on Thursday over allegations of involvement in anti-national activities and recovered cartridges of AK rifles and some rounds of pistol, among other things.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary asked the investigative agencies not to "pick-and-choose" media organisations for raids, saying there should not be any pressure on the press.

"The agencies are doing their work. If a raid has to be conducted, it should not be done on a pick-and-choose basis. If they have done anything wrong, action should be taken, but not just to create pressure. The Press is the fourth estate, and it should get space to practise journalism," Surinder Choudhary told reporters.

The Kashmir Times management sharply criticised the reported raids on its Jammu office, terming the allegations of activities inimical to the state a coordinated attempt to suppress an independent media institution.

The editors said Kashmir Times, founded in 1954 by Ved Bhasin, has consistently upheld independent journalism.

“We have chronicled the region’s triumphs and failures with equal rigour. We have given voice to communities that would otherwise go unheard. We have asked difficult questions when others remained silent,” they said.

Since 2023, the media firm has switched to a digital multimedia format, which replaced the previous print edition.

They alleged that the organisation was being targeted for continuing to pursue independent reporting. “We are being targeted precisely because we continue to do this work. In an era when critical voices are increasingly scarce, we remain one of the few independent outlets willing to speak truth to power,” the statement added.

Calling the allegations “an intimidation tactic”, the editors said, “The accusations levelled against us are designed to intimidate, to delegitimise, and ultimately to silence. We will not be silenced.”

They reiterated that journalism is not a crime. “Accountability is not treason. And we will continue to inform, investigate, and advocate for those who depend on us. The state may have the power to raid our offices. But it cannot raid our commitment to the truth.”

The editors added that although the newspaper’s print edition was suspended in 2021–22 following “relentless targeting”, Kashmir Times continues to operate digitally, and all its work remains publicly accessible on its website.

Anuradha Bhasin was also the petitioner in the landmark Anuradha Bhasin Vs Union of India case, in which the Supreme Court issued a judgment calling for internet shutdowns only for a temporary duration, ANI reported.

"The order is impermissible under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Service) Rules, 2017. The suspension can be utilised for a temporary duration only," the judgment said.