Police in Indian-controlled Kashmir have raided bookstores and seized 668 books linked to a major Islamic organization in the disputed region, where strict controls on the press have escalated in recent years.

Indian police in disputed Kashmir have raided dozens of bookshops and seized hundreds of copies of books by an Islamic scholar, sparking angry

In sweeping operations, Jammu and Kashmir police targeted bookshops in Handwara to seize banned Jamaat-e-Islami literature. Several shops were checked with emphasis on sensitive areas, leading to seizures and warnings issued to proprietors.

Police in disputed Kashmir have raided dozens of bookshops and seized hundreds of copies of books by an Islamic scholar, sparking angry reactions by Muslim leaders

Kashmiri men purchase books at a book shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)