Five Detained Under PSA in Kishtwar Amid Crackdown on Dissent

On November 9, Hindu-nationalist District Magistrate of Kishtwar region, Rajesh Kumar Shavan, invoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) to detain five individuals for alleged “anti-India activities” in the Kishtwar district.

The detainees include Mohammad Abdullah Gujjar, Noor-Din, Ghulam Nabi Choppan, Mohd Jaffer Sheikh, and Mohammad Ramzan. Authorities claim the individuals were involved in so-called “anti-national” activities and expressed reluctance to cease their actions, a justification often criticized for lacking transparency or accountability.

The PSA, notorious for enabling detention without trial for up to two years, has been widely condemned by rights groups as a tool of repression. 

Reports suggest that the district administration has also directed security agencies to monitor 22 additional individuals accused of opposing “projects of national importance.” These individuals are alleged to have fostered resistance to development initiatives by spreading “misinformation” and cultivating an “anti-national” mindset—charges that pro-freedom groups dismiss as part of a broader campaign to silence local voices.

Critics argue that such measures reflect the authorities’ prioritization of suppressing dissent over addressing legitimate grievances of local communities. The targeting of individuals under vague accusations of obstructing “developmental projects” raises concerns about the growing use of collective punishment to quell opposition to state-led initiatives.