Residents and religious leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir are raising alarm over a new police exercise they say amounts to intrusive surveillance of mosques, deepening fears about privacy, religious freedom, and state control in the disputed region.

The concerns emerged after police in Srinagar and surrounding areas began distributing a four-page document explicitly titled “profiling of mosques”, asking mosque committees and religious figures to provide detailed institutional and personal information. While authorities describe the move as an administrative and security-related survey, many Kashmiris see it as part of a broader effort to tighten control over Muslim religious institutions.

‘Profiling of Mosques’: A Form That Sparked Anxiety

Mohammad Nawaz Khan says his family’s troubles began earlier this month when police officials approached the neighbourhood mosque in Srinagar, where his father, Sanaullah Khan, a retired government employee, serves as head of the managing committee.

“I regret the day my father agreed to take on that responsibility,” Nawaz told Al Jazeera. “Now, we are being asked questions that go far beyond anything reasonable.”

The four-page police form seeks extensive information about each mosque, including:

• The “ideological sect” it belongs to
• Year of establishment
• Sources of funding and monthly expenditure
• Congregation capacity
• Ownership and legal status of the land

Beyond institutional details, the remaining pages demand highly sensitive personal data from individuals associated with mosques—imams, muezzins, khatibs, and committee members. These include mobile numbers, email addresses, passport details, bank accounts, credit card information, social media handles, and even the model of their mobile phones.

Some columns ask whether respondents have relatives living abroad, and which “outfit” or organisation they are associated with—wording that many locals interpret as implying suspicion or criminality.

A similar form has also reportedly been distributed to administrators of madrasas (Islamic religious schools) across the region.

‘This Is Not Normal Paperwork’

For residents like Nawaz Khan, the exercise feels far from routine.

“This is not a place where you can live in peace,” said the 41-year-old shopkeeper from Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar area. “Every now and then, we are asked to fill out one form or another. But this time, the level of detail is frightening.”

He warned that storing such extensive personal data in a conflict zone like Kashmir could have serious consequences.

“I do not understand why the police need this much information. In Kashmir, information can be misused. It puts families at risk,” he said.

Religious Leaders Voice Privacy Concerns

Hafiz Nasir Mir, an imam who has led prayers for 15 years at a mosque in Srinagar’s Lal Bazar area, said he received the form but has refused to complete it so far.

“If this were simple documentation, they wouldn’t ask for passport details, bank accounts, or relatives abroad,” Mir told Al Jazeera. “These are private matters.”

“When authorities ask such questions repeatedly, it makes you worry about how this data might be used later,” he added.

Many religious figures fear that the profiling could be the first step toward monitoring sermons, regulating mosque activities, or even requiring official approval for Friday prayers.

Islamic Groups Condemn the Exercise

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), Kashmir’s largest umbrella body of Islamic religious organisations, has strongly opposed the mosque profiling initiative.

In a statement, the MMU said mosques are sacred spaces meant for worship, community guidance, and social service, not intrusive scrutiny.

“Subjecting mosques to such profiling creates fear and undermines trust within the Muslim community,” the statement read, urging authorities to halt the exercise immediately.

Kashmir’s Political Context and Article 370

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Kashmir’s long-running political dispute. The Himalayan region is claimed by India and Pakistan, both of which control parts of it and have fought multiple wars since 1947. China also controls a portion of the territory.

For decades, Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granted Indian-administered Kashmir partial autonomy over land, employment, and education. That status was revoked in August 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which split the region into two federally governed territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Since then, New Delhi’s direct rule has coincided with curbs on civil liberties and religious freedoms, residents say. Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid, the region’s largest mosque, was shut for nearly two years after 2019 and continues to face periodic closures and restrictions on large congregations, including during Eid.

India insists these measures are temporary and necessary to maintain law and order and counter what it calls “cross-border militancy”—an allegation Pakistan denies, saying it supports Kashmiris only diplomatically.

Political Backlash: ‘Turning Mosques Into Crime Scenes’

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sharply criticised the profiling exercise, calling it discriminatory and fear-mongering.

“By doing so, they are turning mosques into crime scenes,” Mufti said at a news conference, holding up a copy of the police form. “Will the government do the same with temples, gurdwaras or churches?”

The region has had an elected government since 2024 for the first time since the revocation of Article 370, but most executive authority still lies with the New Delhi-appointed lieutenant governor.

Imran Nabi Dar, spokesperson for the ruling National Conference, said the party opposes the profiling but lacks direct control over the police.

“There have already been several surveys in the valley. There is no need for another,” Dar said. “We will raise the issue with the lieutenant governor.”

BJP Defends Mosque Profiling

Defending the move, Altaf Thakur, spokesperson for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kashmir, said surveillance was needed for transparency and accountability.

“Past experience shows mosques were sometimes used to mobilise pro-Pakistan rallies,” Thakur said. “Though this stopped in 2019, some elements still misuse religious platforms.”

“There is nothing wrong with knowing who funds mosques, what ideology they follow, and what is taught there,” he added.

Fears of What Comes Next

For many imams and worshippers, the immediate fear is not just data collection, but what it could lead to.

“I believe we will soon be asked to get sermons approved before Friday prayers,” said Imam Hafiz Nasir Mir. “That would mean the end of religious independence.”

Political analysts warn that the mosque profiling initiative raises serious questions about privacy, discrimination, and freedom of religion.

“A transparent framework with judicial oversight and community involvement is essential,” one analyst told Al Jazeera anonymously. “Without that, many Kashmiris will see this as another tool of control—targeting Muslim institutions while sparing others.”