Three Youths Detained Under Public Safety Act in Poonch, Kashmir

Srinagar, In the Poonch district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, three local youths were detained on Sunday under the Public Safety Act (PSA), a law often criticized for its stringent measures. The detentions have raised concerns about the use of the PSA to curb civil liberties in the region.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the individuals, identified as Iftar Ahmed, Khurshid Ahmed, and Ghulam Abass, all hail from Gursai village in the Mendhar area. Indian authorities have justified the detentions by labeling the men as significant threats to the state’s security, a claim that has been met with skepticism and termed as a pretext for suppressing ordinary citizens in the contested region. The broader context includes ongoing cordon and search operations by Indian forces in Poonch and the adjacent Rajouri district, part of a prolonged security clampdown.