Indian authorities have officially admitted that thousands of undertrial prisoners continue to languish in jails across Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with hundreds held for years without trial. According to Kashmir Media Service, in reply to a query in the Lok Sabha, Indian Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal admitted that occupied Jammu and Kashmir had 4,568 undertrial prisoners lodged in its jails as of December 31, 2023. Of these, 3,667 had been confined for up to three years, 626 for between three and five years, while 275 inmates had been held for more than five years.

The figures, drawn from the government’s own “Prison Statistics India 2023” report compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau, reveal the continued use of delayed judicial processes to prolong detentions. In Ladakh, 42 undertrial prisoners were recorded, including 20 from Scheduled Tribes and six from OBCs, with none from the SC category.  Observers say the data exposes India’s ongoing pattern of judicial delays, arbitrary detentions, and prolonged incarceration of Kashmiris under the pretext of law and order.

They warn that holding hundreds of undertrial prisoners for years not only violates basic human rights but also perpetuates fear and oppression across occupied Jammu and Kashmir.  In what is an overall mockery of justice across India, the country’s National Legal Services Authority data shows that Under Trial Review Committees recommended 2,75,065 inmates for bail or release nationwide between 2021 and 2025, yet only 1,35,237 were actually released, underscoring systemic delays in granting justice. 

Citing figures, observers point out that the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue to live under relentless oppression, with their fundamental rights systematically eroded and their daily lives disrupted by cordons, raids, and militarisation. Despite the presence of over one million Indian troops and escalating human rights violations under the Modi regime, Kashmiris remain steadfast in their struggle against occupation. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)