SRINAGAR: The recent decision by the Jammu and Kashmir police to invoke the anti-terror law UAPA against seven students from an agricultural university sheds light on why the region holds the dubious distinction of having the highest number of such cases for the third consecutive time, reported The Telegraph.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there has been a notable increase in cases filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the country, escalating from 814 to 1,005 between 2021 and 2022.
Out of these, Jammu and Kashmir contributed a substantial 371 cases, surpassing a third of the total. Considering that the region constitutes approximately 1 percent of the country’s population, this figure appears particularly concerning.
Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, spokesman for the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, while speaking to The Telegraph asserted that these alarming statistics underscore the abnormality of the situation in the region.
He highlighted the prevalence of the UAPA and the Public Safety Act (permitting detention without trial) in Kashmir, with approximately 1,400 pending PSA cases in the local courts, of which 900 are in the final hearing stage. Shaheen expressed concern about the delayed listing of these cases.
He added, “Things are worse when it comes to the UAPA. People from all walks of life, including journalists, are being booked under it.”
The NCRB’s 2022 report reveals a decline in UAPA cases in Manipur, previously the state with the highest numbers, now reduced to 167 cases.
Jammu and Kashmir’s ascent in UAPA cases began in 2018 when the BJP withdrew support from the Mehbooba Mufti-led government, resulting in 245 people being booked under the UAPA.
In 2019, following the loss of special status and statehood, the numbers increased to 270, surpassing Manipur’s 306 cases. Jammu and Kashmir continued its lead in 2020 with 287 cases against Manipur’s 169. The trend persisted in 2021, with an increase to 289 cases while Manipur’s numbers further dropped to 159.
