Indian authorities arrest 25 Muslims for raising questions on Pahalgam incident

Indian security agencies have launched a crackdown on individuals from various walks of life for criticizing the recent Pahalgam incident, arresting at least 25 people across three states, with the majority being Muslims.

According to reports, police in Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura have detained journalists, students, lawyers, retired teachers, and even a sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for raising questions about the Pahalgam attack on social media.

In Assam alone, 16 individuals have been arrested. Among them, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam was the first to be detained on charges of sedition, accused of labeling the 2019 Pulwama and recent Pahalgam attacks as "government conspiracies."

Read more: India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels over ‘misinformation’ about Pahalgam attack

Indian authorities allege that these channels were spreading misinformation and false narratives about the Pahalgam attack.

Other notable arrests include journalist Jabir Hussain, Assam University student A.K. Bahauddin, lawyer Javed Muzaffar, along with several social media users.

At least 16 Pakistani YouTube channels have been banned in India, as the Indian government persists with its hostile actions against Pakistan, even as it fails to conduct a thorough investigation into the Pahalgam attack.

According to Indian media, the channels were banned on the recommendation of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.

The list included prominent Pakistani news channels, and Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube account has also been blocked for Indian viewers.