UAPA arrests in IIOJK surge from 645 in 2020 to 1,200 in 2023, Lok Sabha told
New Delhi: Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has topped India in arrests under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for five consecutive years, according to Indian Home Ministry data presented in the Lok Sabha.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai provided the figures in response to MP Shafi Parambil, citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2019–2023.
The figures reveal a steep rise in UAPA arrests in the territory: 227 in 2019, 346 in 2020, 645 in 2021, 1,238 in 2022, and 1,206 in 2023. Despite this escalation, convictions remained extremely low, with no convictions in 2019 and 2021, two in 2020, eleven in 2022, and ten in 2023. The stark disparity between arrests and convictions underscores concerns over the misuse of the law.
Observers say the data highlights the disproportionate use of UAPA in IIOJK, where the law has often been employed against political activists, students, and civilians, while the judicial system delivers minimal convictions, raising questions about the accountability and the rights of those detained.
