84 Kashmiris Martyred by Indian Forces in 2025

 7,488, including Hurriyat activists, youth, doctors and journalists detained in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Even in 2025, the suffering of the Kashmiri people in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir did not come to an end. During the year, 84 Kashmiris were killed in Indian state violence, including three women and seven children.

Killings and Custodial Deaths

According to a report published by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service, 34 of the victims were killed in fake encounters and in police custody after arrest. The report further stated that killings carried out by the Indian Army, Rashtriya Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), paramilitary forces and police left 11 women widowed and 33 children orphaned during the year.

In addition, Indian forces destroyed 41 properties, most of them residential houses Kashmiri people.

Mass Arrests and Detentions

The report said that 7,488 people were arrested this year. Those detained include: Hurriyat activists, youth, doctors, Islamic scholar, women and journalists. Many of them have been imprisoned in different jails in India and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under black laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The UAPA Law

The UAPA is a law enacted by the Indian government to prevent activities related to terrorism, banned organizations, and actions that are considered a threat to India’s sovereignty and integrity. Under this law, if a person is involved in terrorist activities, prepares for terrorism, supports terrorism, or is connected to it in any way, they can be labeled as a terrorist. According to this law, the government can detain a person for up to six months without trial or bail, making judicial intervention almost impossible. According to Amnesty International and the United Nations, the UAPA does not meet international human rights standards. The UN has stated that the UAPA uses vague and overly broad definitions of “terrorist activities,” allows long periods of pre-trial detention, and makes bail extremely difficult.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom & Economic Repression

The authorities did not allow people to offer prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid and Eidgah in Srinagar on the sacred occasions of Jumat-ul-Wida, Shab-e-Qadr, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Adha.

The report said that in December 2025 alone, Indian forces arrested 263 Kashmiris during 480 cordon and search operations carried out across the region.

Economic repression has become a central part of India’s strategy in the occupied territory. The collapse of the industrial sector, destruction of homes, the seizure of 213 properties in 2025 alone, mass dismissal of Muslim government employees, and strict surveillance and control over natural resources and taxation have collectively deepened the people’s economic suffering.

In particular, youth unemployment—which is among the highest in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir—has now reached alarming levels, especially for young people and women. As of November 2025, the number of registered unemployed youth has risen to 357,328, clearly highlighting the ongoing employment crisis in the occupied territory.

Many people have been imprisoned through fake cases and political revenge.

Systematic Oppression

The report noted that since August 5, 2019, when the Indian Hindu nationalist BJP government illegally and militarily revoked the special status of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) under Articles 370 and 35A, 1,048 Kashmiris have been martyred at the hands of Indian army, paramilitary forces, and police personnel. It added that over the past 37 years, a total of 96,163 Kashmiris have been killed by Indian bullets in the internationally recognized disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under Indian occupation since October 1947.

Today, Kashmir is not just a heavily militarized and disputed territory, but has become a real site of systematic oppression—where human rights are suspended, voices are silenced, and the basic dignity of an entire population is denied. Today, Kashmir is not just a heavily militarized and disputed territory, but has become a real site of systematic oppression—where human rights are suspended, voices are silenced, and the basic dignity of an entire population is denied.

Violations of Human Rights

In Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Indian forces continue to violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), as all fundamental rights remain effectively suspended under violent military occupation.

The region hosts a massive Indian military presence, which human rights organizations and critics describe as an oppressive apparatus. These forces operate under laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)—laws that are widely regarded as instruments for suppressing dissent and enforcing repression.