Scroll Instagram posts on Kashmir pellet victims withheld in India, fourth block since June

Instagram has blocked four posts by Scroll on the social media platform since June, citing “legal requirements” under the Union government’s Information Technology Rules.

The platform informed Scroll through a message on its dashboard that access to the content had been restricted in India “through an automated system implemented pursuant to legal requirements” under the rules.

On August 6, a post about Scroll’s report on how most pellet gun victims in Kashmir have had to wait for compensation even a decade after they were injured was blocked. A second post with a photo in which pellet injuries were not visible, published later in the day, was also restricted. Instagram did not provide a specific reason for the actions.

On July 5, a post relating to a Scroll article about how Kashmir’s turbulent history has, for several years, provided grist for Bollywood creators looking to generate xenophobic content, was initially restricted when it included a screenshot from the film’s teaser showing pellet injuries. A separate post with a photograph of Srinagar’s Lal Chowk was allowed, and is still available. No specific reason was provided for this.

The platform also blocked a post on June 22 about an article explaining how a ban on the sale of meat in Amritsar had triggered a legal challenge and raked up a...

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