India seizes properties and orchards of Kashmiris for allegedly providing support to Kashmiri pro-freedom movement

On November 14th, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India confiscated two apple orchards and a residential house along with a property of land in two villages of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The properties were seized under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), as the owners were accused of providing support to and being sympathetic to the Kashmiri freedom struggle. 

Two days later, on November 16th, another Indian agency, State Investigation Unit, seized a piece of land and orchard, also in Pulwama district, belonging to a Kashmiri civilian accused of providing support to Kashmiri pro-freedom armed rebels. 

UAPA, an act heavily criticized by the United Nations for its lawless basis, was invoked to justify all the seizures and confiscations of properties.