New Delhi: The Caravan magazine has been ordered to remove its article about accusations of torture and murder against the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. This is an example of the contentious Information Technology Act, whose regulations were amended in 2021 and then again in 2023, being used against a media outlet.
The Caravan declared on X that it would be contesting this order after receiving a notification under Section 69A of the IT Act. The publication stated, “The content of the order is confidential.”
The magazine was informed that the entire website will be removed if it did not remove the article from its website within twenty-four hours. The item can also be found in the magazine’s print edition, which is distributed to subscribers and available for purchase at news stands.
The lengthy report, titled “Screams from the Army Post,” was authored by journalist Jatinder Kaur Tur and appeared in the magazine’s February issue. It revolved around the well publicised December 22, 2023, killing of three citizens by supposedly unidentified soldiers. Videos of the prisoners being tortured went viral, leading locals to believe that the victims were executed while in army custody. All the Army has stated is that the situation is being looked into.
The Caravan interviewed the families of the men who died for its investigation, including one incident in which the army handed one family an unexpected Rs 10 lakh following the men’s deaths. In addition, the report stated that although three men had died, a far higher number—25—had been apprehended by the Army and subjected to “severe torture.” The report also mentions a brigadier who is alleged to have issued the orders causing the events.
The Caravan contacted a number of agencies, including the Army, the police, and the district administration, to get their opinions on what the reporter had discovered. The magazine contacted various authorities, but none of them replied.
The contentious IT Rules grant the ministry of information and broadcasting emergency authority to summarily remove content from digital platforms, including news websites, without providing the publisher with a chance to be heard. Several media houses and others, have challenged the restrictions in court and the petitions are being heard.