MT Desk: Curfew-like restrictions continued for the fourth consecutive day across Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday as Indian authorities enforced strict curbs to prevent protests following the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel strike in Tehran.

According to Kashmir Media Service, heavy contingents of Indian Army and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force personnel remained deployed across Srinagar, Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam, Pulwama and other districts of the Kashmir Valley. Major roads and intersections were sealed with barricades and concertina wire, while armoured vehicles patrolled several civilian areas, creating an atmosphere of fear and tension among residents.

Srinagar’s main commercial hub, Lal Chowk, remained completely barricaded with barbed wire as authorities blocked pedestrian movement along key routes, including the Amir Kadal stretch. Restrictions were also reported from other areas of the Valley, where public movement remained tightly controlled.

Despite the restrictions, protests were reported from different parts of the Valley. Witnesses said Indian troops resorted to force to disperse demonstrators, firing teargas shells and baton charging protesters in Srinagar, Baramulla, Bandipora and other areas. Dozens of people were injured during the clashes.

Internet restrictions and communication curbs also continued in the territory, while authorities maintained tight control over media and social media platforms. The clampdown on media outlets and restrictions on digital spaces have raised fresh concerns over press freedom and the free flow of information in the occupied territory.

Officials said the curbs would remain in place as a precautionary measure to prevent further protests. The administration claimed the decision was taken to maintain public order and that the situation was being closely monitored.

Meanwhile, a report has raised serious concerns over India’s state-backed cyber propaganda, stating that New Delhi is using its government-controlled media platforms to promote narratives that undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty and amplify the messaging of banned terrorist groups. The report specifically cites the role of the state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) and its verified social media account in disseminating such content.

According to Kashmir Media Service, evidence cited in the report states that AIR operates as part of Prasar Bharati under the direct oversight of the Indian government. Its social media operations, including the @airnewsalerts handle, are managed by a dedicated Social Media Cell established in 2013 to disseminate official narratives, making any content posted attributable to the Indian state rather than independent journalism.

The report says that the @airnewsalerts handle has repeatedly amplified the activities of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in a manner portraying the group as “freedom fighters” rather than a designated terrorist organization. It cites an example from January 31, 2026, when AIR reported the BLA’s announcement of the “second phase of Operation Herof” as a “declaration of decisive resistance” against an “occupying state,” language the report says frames terrorist attacks as heroic acts of liberation. This language, the report said, validates BLA’s intent and agenda, echoing separatist propaganda.

The report further says that similar posts highlight BLA claims of coordinated attacks across Balochistan without condemnation and often alongside allegations of Pakistani “atrocities,” which it says builds sympathy for the terrorist group. It further states that AIR’s coverage consistently focuses on alleged human rights abuses by Pakistani forces while highlighting protests by groups such as the Free Balochistan Movement and the Baloch Yakjehti Committee as demands for “justice,” providing what the report terms a cyber propaganda platform for violent non-state actors like the BLA.

The report also notes that the BLA is internationally recognized as a terrorist entity, designated as such by Pakistan since 2006, the United States (as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2019 and Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2025), the United Kingdom, the European Union, China, and Iran.

It concludes that as a state-owned broadcaster under India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, AIR’s actions reflect official policy and provide a platform to proscribed terrorist groups such as the BLA, which the report says not only legitimizes violent separatism but also facilitates terrorist networks, amounting to clear violations of multiple international legal obligations.