Kashmiris face heightened fear and intimidation as authorities target homes, land and livelihoods

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2026) Indian forces in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IIOJK) have ramped up brutal operations across the valley, carrying out raids, arbitrary detentions and ruthless property seizures in a vicious campaign to crush the Kashmiri people under false pretenses.

According to Kashmir Media Service, these operations were launched across multiple districts, with a particular focus on South Kashmir’s Islamabad district, where police conducted search operations at around 20 identified

hotspots.

Multiple teams raided the residences of locals, deepening fears of harassment and further repression among the population.

In the latest crackdown, properties worth approximately Rs 3.5 crore were seized under draconian laws. In the Sangam area, two immovable properties linked to Shakeel Ahmad Ganie and Farooq Ahmad Mir, residents of Kreshbal Noorbagh, were confiscated.

These included double-storey residential houses and one kanal of land each, valued at over Rs 2 crore and Rs 1.5 crore, respectively. Critics have condemned these actions as part of a broader strategy of dispossession aimed at weakening Kashmiri resistance.

Authorities have also begun surveys of properties they claim were acquired illegally, but analysts argue that the systematic seizure of Kashmiris’ properties has become a disturbing norm, especially since August 2019.

Hundreds of locally owned properties have been confiscated, exacerbating the economic and psychological strain on the people. Rights observers and analysts maintain that these property confiscations are part of a wider agenda to break the Kashmiri resolve for freedom, aligning with what they describe as India’s settler-colonial project in the region.

They believe that the Modi regime is using these measures as a form of political vendetta to deprive Kashmiris of their land, homes, and livelihoods, while demolitions and repeated cordon-and-search operations continue to fuel public distress.

In neighbouring Shopian district, police displayed photographs and lists of alleged individuals at police stations and posts, a clear attempt to intimidate locals and create an atmosphere of fear.

Despite these oppressive tactics, observers assert that the people of Kashmir remain resolute in their pursuit of self-determination.

They emphasize that such measures, no matter how brutal, will not deter the Kashmiri people from their unwavering struggle for freedom.