Indian forces continue house raids, search operations in occupied Kashmir

Published
0
Indian paramilitary personnel stand guard as schoolgirls walk along a street in Srinagar on May 1, 2025. — AFP
Indian paramilitary personnel stand guard as schoolgirls walk along a street in Srinagar on May 1, 2025. — AFP

Indian forces on Friday raided and searched over a dozen houses in different areas of Srinagar in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The April 22 attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26 people, mostly tourists, marking one of the deadliest assaults in the region since 2000. India has implied cross-border links without evidence, while Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership have rejected the accusation and called for a neutral probe.

The Indian police continued their operations on the orders of the Indian Home Ministry and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), according to Kashmir Media Service.

During search operations, the Indian forces seized house and bank documents, mobile phones and other digital devices from the residents.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas expressed concern over the unsettling atmosphere created by house raids, looting of house goods and attacking properties.

He urged the United Nations to take immediate notice of the deteriorating situation in the occupied territory and resolve the Kashmir dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Following the Pahalgam incident, Indian troops and paramilitary forces escalated operations across the valley, carrying out widespread house raids and arbitrary arrests.

Last week, Indian soldiers blew up the family homes of two men who police alleged were among a gang that carried out the attack.

The Indian forces arrested more than 2,000 Kashmiris and demolished several homes in a sweeping crackdown by Monday.

Azad Kashmir govt orders stockpiling of food

Meanwhile, the Azad Kashmir government called on residents near the border with India to stockpile food.

“Instructions have been issued to stock food supplies for two months in the 13 constituencies along the Line of Control (LoC),” AFP quoted AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq from the local assembly on Friday.

The regional government has also created an emergency fund of one billion rupees ($3.5 million) to ensure the supply of “food, medicines and all other basic necessities” to the 13 constituencies, he said.

Government and privately owned machinery were also being deployed to maintain roads in the areas along the LoC, he added.

Fearing a military escalation, authorities also shut more than 1,000 religious schools for 10 days on Thursday in Kashmir.

Opinion

Editorial

Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...
Terror and politics
Updated 29 Sep, 2026

Terror and politics

There is an urgent need to tone down the rhetoric and tackle terrorism as a collective challenge for both the affected provinces and the federation.
Watching the glaciers
29 Sep, 2026

Watching the glaciers

THE latest signs from Pakistan’s mountains are worrying. Suparco says the number of unfrozen glacial lakes it...
Dangerous agenda
29 Sep, 2026

Dangerous agenda

AS the world remains fixated on the US-Iran conflict, elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel is consolidating its grip...