Indian Authorities Implement GPS Tracking on Bailed Kashmiri in Srinagar

Srinagar, Indian police have attached a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking device to another bailed-out Kashmiri in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, citing adherence to court orders but raising concerns about privacy and freedom of movement.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the recent case involves Sameer Ahmad Butt of Manzimpora, Shopian, who was fitted with the GPS tracking device upon the orders of the NIA Court, Kulgam. This action is part of a broader practice by Indian authorities, with a similar device attached just a day earlier in Baramulla to an under-trial Kashmiri released on bail. The devices are reportedly used to monitor movements and enforce bail conditions.

This use of GPS tracking devices began in November 2023, with the first known case being that of 65-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Butt from Srinagar. The police have defended the use of such measures as necessary for ensuring that those released on bail do not violate their terms, especially under stringent laws like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).