Jammu and Kashmir arrests three publishers over books alleged to glorify separatists and militants

Police in Jammu and Kashmir have arrested three people linked to publishing companies over two books that authorities say contained material glorifying separatists and militant leaders. The arrests were made on Sunday by the Union Territory's counter-intelligence unit after earlier searches at publishing premises. Officials said the case is part of a wider probe into the circulation of the books in school libraries.

Sponsored

Those arrested were identified as Inderpaul Singh of Oberoi Book Service in Jammu, and Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora of the Noida-based Dominant Publishers. Police said the operation was coordinated at both locations and that the role of the publishers in what they described as "highly inappropriate content" was under scrutiny. The books named in the case are Personalities and Legends of J&K and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities said the books had already been withdrawn from school libraries earlier this month. They also said action had been taken against education officials in the Union Territory, with eight suspended and one contractual employee terminated from service. Police registered a case under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections covering abetment, criminal conspiracy, endangering sovereignty and integrity, promoting enmity, and publishing or circulating false statements, as well as section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The case has drawn attention because it sits at the intersection of education, publishing and national security in a region where political narratives are closely scrutinised. The allegations centre on whether the books presented separatist figures in a way that crossed legal and administrative limits. The government has also ordered a high-level inquiry, indicating that the matter is being treated as more than a routine publishing dispute.

Sponsored

Officials said counter-intelligence personnel searched the premises of both publishing houses on 6 July before the arrests were made. They said 251 copies of the books had been distributed across Jammu, Ramban, Udhampur and Baramulla districts, and that all copies have now been withdrawn. Political objections from the BJP, Congress and other groups helped trigger the wider response, with critics alleging that the books glorified separatism.

One of the books is said to describe Maqbool Bhat, co-founder of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, as a martyr, while also referring to Shabir Shah as a prominent campaigner for Kashmiri independence. Police have not yet said whether further arrests are likely, and the investigation remains under way. It is also unclear what findings the high-level inquiry will produce or whether additional administrative action will follow.

#JammuandKashmir #police #publishers #separatism #investigation