Police in Jammu and Kashmir arrested three publishers on Sunday in connection with the distribution of two books that authorities said contained alleged pro-separatist content.
The arrests came one week after the Union Territory administration suspended eight government officials and dismissed a contractual employee following protests over the books by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The books, Personalities and Legends of J&K by Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena, and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir by Dr. Sushant Giri, were also removed from school libraries.
Police arrested Inderpaul Singh of Oberoi Book Service, along with Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora of Noida-based Dominant Publishers.
Officials said investigators are examining the publishers’ role in distributing the books, which authorities described as containing inappropriate material.
According to police, 123 copies of one book were sent to schools in the Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second book were distributed in the Jammu and Baramulla districts.
On July 4, police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The case includes allegations related to criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity, publishing false information, and actions affecting India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has also blacklisted Oberoi Book Service and Dominant Publishers.
Earlier this month, police searched locations linked to the two publishing companies as part of the investigation.
One of the books included a detailed section on Maqbool Bhat, founder of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, who was executed in 1984 after being convicted in a case linked to the Kashmir separatist movement.
A government spokesperson said the inclusion of the passage showed a lack of proper review before the books were approved.
The books had been supplied to school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha education programme.
The BJP criticised the books, with Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma accusing the National Conference-led government of promoting “academic jihad.” The government has not publicly responded to that allegation.
Following the controversy, the Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered all government and recognised private schools, as well as coaching centres in the Kashmir division, to review their library collections for objectionable content.
School authorities were also directed to certify that no objectionable material is available on their campuses.
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