In J&K, 289 people booked under stringent UAPA

In 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir administration booked 289 cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), revealing the Crime Gazette 2021, the same for 2020 was slightly less at 286.

According to the report, cases under the UAPA were registered in 22 out of 23 police districts of the union territory in 2021. While 241 cases were registered in Kashmir, 48 people were booked in Jammu.

In the Kashmir region, 52 UAPA cases—the highest number—were registered in the region’s volatile southern district of Pulwama, while in the neighbouring Awantipora police district, 34 people were booked under the stringent anti-terror law in 2021.

District of Kulgam, with 31 UAPA, cases was in the third spot, followed by 25 in Shopian, 22 in Anantnag, 20 in Budgam, 14 in Srinagar, 11 in Sopore police district, 10 in Baramulla, nine in Bandipora, eight in Kupwara, four in Ganderbal and one in Handwara police district.

In the Jammu region, 12 cases were registered in Jammu district, two in Kathua, six each in Samba and Rajouri, four each in Poonch and Rajouri, nine in Doda, four in Kishtwar and one in Ramban, the report revealed.

No case was registered under the law in the Udhampur police district.

Although a total of 4,690 people were arrested under the UAPA across the country between 2018 and 2020, only 149 were convicted in the three-year period, official figures showed.

Among the arrested, 2,488 people were between the age of 18–30 years, and 1,850 were 30–45 years old.