People protest the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Photo credit: Imran Nissar
On Tuesday (March 3, 2026), Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, pulled the social media controls of several news channels based in Jammu and Kashmir.
The move came in the wake of widespread protests in J&K over the past three days over the February 28 killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Prominent Srinagar-based organizations such as Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir and Kashmir Life are among the places affected.
Kashmir Life said in a statement that its verified Facebook and Instagram pages “became unavailable in India on Monday (March 2, 2026) afternoon after Meta restricted access at the request of law enforcement.”
The news portal quoted Meta’s response and said the clicks “were restricted under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act 2000”.
Kashmir Life said in a statement that it is a “professionally managed organization that has been operating for 17 years”. “It adheres to the highest standards of journalism and is a major responsible media outlet operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The organization has written to Meta to provide a detailed explanation of the specific reasons, scope and duration of the restrictions, as well as the procedural options available for review or redress,” the organization said.
The End of Censorship: Mehbooba
Former J&K Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti condemned the move. “Censorship of news organizations like Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Life and Rising Kashmir is deeply disturbing. Such actions not only silence legitimate voices but also undermine the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The J&K government must also immediately end any media censorship in the region,” Mufti said.
Ms. Mufti said that when established media voices are sidelined, the resulting void is often filled by obscure or unreliable sources that can distort public discourse and erode trust in journalism.
She urged Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, J&K Lt. Gen. Manoj Sinha and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to “expeditiously review the situation and restore these accounts”. “Respecting freedom of the press is essential to a healthy democracy and maintaining public trust,” she added.
PDP leader and lawmaker Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi said: “Restricting or suppressing legitimate reporting at critical times only deepens public distrust. Silencing the press is not the answer, it is a step backwards.”
J&K Peoples Conference (JKPC) chairman and legislator Sajad Lone said the absence of mature institutions “will do more harm”. “At times it has been seen that the space vacated by responsible institutions can be filled by unknown entities, further damaging the cause of free and responsible media. The administration should unblock cliques,” Lone said.
Police warning
The J&K Police had earlier said that they have “taken serious note of the deliberate dissemination of false, fabricated and misleading information by some news channels, media and individuals across electronic and social media platforms”.
The police have also filed a first information report (FIR) in this connection. “Several profiles have been identified and the concerned persons have been summoned to the Cyber Cell. The investigation is actively underway and strict legal action will be taken against anyone caught,” police said. He warned against spreading fake news, inflammatory content or unverified information. “There will be strict legal consequences,” the police said.
Published – March 3, 2026 10:24 PM IST
