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Jammu, Nov 20 (IANS) AK rifle cartridges, pistol rounds and hand-grenade pins, among other items, were recovered during a raid by Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Kashmir Times office in Residency Road area of Jammu city.
“AK rifle cartridges, pistol rounds and hand-grenade pins, among other items, were recovered during the raid,” official sources told IANS.
The SIA raided the Jammu office of the newspaper, alleging that the newspaper was involved in activities against the country.
According to officials, SIA teams examined the newspaper’s premises and computer systems after registering a case against the publication and its promoters. The promoters are likely to be questioned as the investigation progresses.
Officials said the SIA raided the newspaper’s office in connection with a case alleging that the publication glorified activities against the country.
Reacting to the SIA raid on the newspaper, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said any action by the investigating agency should be strictly based on evidence of wrongdoing.
The Deputy Chief Minister said, “If he has done something wrong, then action should be taken. If he has done wrong, he will have to face the consequences. But this should not be done just to put pressure. If you do it just to put pressure, then it will be wrong.”
Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP leader and party chief Mehbooba Mufti, said Kashmir Times has long resisted efforts to silence her.
He said, “Kashmir Times is one of the rare newspapers in Kashmir that not only spoke truth to power but also refused to bow down to pressure and intimidation. Raiding their offices under the guise of carrying out anti-national activities is absurd and smacks of excess.”
The PDP leader said that every avenue of truth is being suppressed by using anti-national abuses in Kashmir.
“Are we all anti-national?” He said.
PDP youth president Aditya Gupta also criticized the raid, citing the legacy of the newspaper’s founder.
Gupta said, “Shri Ved Bhasin, founder of Kashmir Times, created one of the bravest voices in Jammu and Kashmir – fearless, truthful and impossible to silence.”
He said that his daughter Anuradha Bhasin carried forward that legacy with the same patience.
Gupta said, “For decades, the newspaper broke some of the biggest stories of human rights abuses, disappearances, governance failures and major political transitions in Kashmir. Despite every threat and every pressure, Kashmir Times stood firm.”
–IANS
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