Indian police blamed for anti-Kashmiri backlash after Pahalgam attack
Former judge-led panel says ‘hasty, false” info led to collective punishment
Srinagar: The Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, led by former Indian Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur and former interlocutor Radha Kumar, has held Indian police responsible for attacks on Kashmiris across India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the forum—an independent body —released its annual report on the sixth anniversary of India’s illegal abrogation of Article 370. The “hasty and incorrect information” provided by the police triggered hate speech and hateful actions, it said. The report noted that false claims by the police led to widespread targeting of Kashmiris and Muslims.
The report titled J&K–Statehood for Human Rights pointed out that the India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) clarification came a month later—by which time significant damage had already been done. It cited instances of trolling, arbitrary arrests, and illegal demolitions as part of the backlash, and noted that even senior government officials, including the Foreign Secretary and military officers, were trolled for supporting a ceasefire.
The forum criticised the Indian Home Ministry for failing to prevent the foreseeable hate campaign, recalling that in 2010, preventive advisories were issued by the ministry. It commended the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for dispatching ministers to other Indian states to protect Kashmiri students and workers, which helped de-escalate tensions.
Highlighting security lapses, the report said no advisory was issued to warn residents and tourists despite clear risks ahead of the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. It also cited the ordeal of border residents during ‘Operation Sindoor’ and accused authorities of failing to evacuate civilians despite constant cross-LoC firing.
The report further revealed that over 2,800 people were detained for questioning and more than 100 were charged under black laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), terming it a case of collective punishment for official failures. The forum also criticised the imposition of new Transaction of Business Rules, which it said have marginalized the elected administration by vesting powers in the Lieutenant-Governor, undermining the principles of representative and accountable governance in the territory.
