Journalists working in Jammu and Kashmir have strongly criticised recent actions by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who summoned multiple reporters from mainstream media outlets to the Cyber Police Station in Srinagar over routine news coverage — including stories about the collection of detailed information on mosques and religious figures in the region. Critics say the police actions appear intended to discourage independent reporting rather than address any credible legal issue. (Maktoob media)
According to a statement from the Press Club of Kashmir, several journalists — including those affiliated with national publications — were called in for questioning and in some cases asked to sign undertakings agreeing not to publish certain types of stories in the future. One journalist from The Indian Express was reportedly asked to sign such an undertaking, and others said they were made to wait for hours and pressured to agree to restrictions before being released. (Maktoob media)
Veteran media voices have condemned the actions as harassment of legitimate journalism under the guise of national interest, and some reporters say this pattern has led to a chilling effect on news coverage in the Valley. (Maktoob media) Political leaders and press freedom advocates have also spoken out: Mehbooba Mufti, president of the People’s Democratic Party, described the summons as undermining press freedom, while Sajjad Gani Lone called the police intervention “a new low” for journalism in the region. (Hindustan Times)
The controversy reflects wider concerns about media freedom and reporting conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, with critics pointing to recent government profiling of religious institutions and an absence of clear communication from authorities about the legal basis for such police actions. (Maktoob media)
