J&K: Three publishers arrested for circulating books with ‘pro-separatist content’

The counter-intelligence unit of the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested three publishers in a case linked to the circulation of two books that allegedly contained “pro-separatist content”, reported PTI.

The arrests came a week after the administration in the Union Territory suspended eight officials and terminated a contractual employee from service following protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party against the content of the books.

The books – Personalities and Legends of J&K by Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir by Dr Sushant Giri – were also withdrawn from school libraries.

On Sunday, the police arrested Inderpaul Singh from Oberoi Book Service, and Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora from the Noida-based Dominant Publishers.

The role of the publishers in the distribution of books deemed to contain “highly inappropriate content” was being investigated, unidentified officials were quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

While 123 copies of one book were distributed to the Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, 128 copies of the other book were sent to the Jammu and Baramulla districts, reported PTI.

On July 4, the police had registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections pertaining to abetment of an offence, criminal conspiracy, endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, promoting enmity and disharmony, publishing or circulating false statements, rumours or reports, as...

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