Jammu and Kashmir Police has launched a data-gathering exercise to compile detailed information on mosques and madrassas across the Valley, including personal particulars of imams, muezzins and members of management bodies, sources said. The move, which involves a multi-page form being circulated at the village level, has drawn sharp criticism from former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, who questioned the legal basis of what she described as “profiling” religious institutions and accused the administration of treating Kashmiri Muslims with collective suspicion.
A four-page questionnaire is being distributed in Kashmir, with one page dedicated to information on mosques and madrassas and three pages focused on individuals linked to these institutions. The police has reportedly sought granular personal details of those associated with mosques, including imams, muezzins, and members of the religious institution’s management committees and charity wings.
Apart from information on finances, the form seeks data such as voter ID numbers, details of social media accounts, ATM card information, ration card numbers and credit card details. It also reportedly asks for the model of an individual’s mobile phone and its IMEI number.
The forms are being routed through village numberdars, village-level revenue officials, who are tasked with collecting and submitting the information.
Iltija Mufti Questions Legal Basis
Reacting strongly, Iltija Mufti posted on X questioning the authority behind the exercise. “Wonder under what law is J&K Police profiling mosques across J&K?” she wrote. Calling it an “absurd punitive policy,” she alleged it reflected “collective suspicion, othering & punishment of Muslims.”
She also accused authorities of ignoring the social consequences. “And after all this constant humiliation you feign ignorance as Kashmiris find themselves increasingly isolated & aloof? What will it take for you to wake up?” she said.
There has been no immediate official clarification on the scope of the exercise or the legal provisions under which the information is being sought.
Sect, Structure & Funding Under Lens
In what is being described as a first-of-its-kind exercise in the region, the questionnaire also seeks details on sectarian affiliation. Mosques are reportedly being asked to specify whether they follow Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi or Ahle-Hadith schools of thought.
The form further seeks specifics on mosque infrastructure, including the number of floors, the approximate cost of construction, and the sources of funds used for building the structure.