Dr. Iqbal Hussain Khandey, a Kashmiri physician practicing in Uttar Pradesh, has been detained at Sambal Jail following allegations of posting an “objectionable” meme featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Sambal police shifted their focus to the doctor after images surfaced on a Facebook account and a WhatsApp status linked to his name. While his mobile phone has been seized for forensic examination to check for third-party involvement or hacking, the arrest has triggered a background verification process involving both Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) police.
Back in his hometown of Srinagar, the news has been met with shock and disbelief. Family members and neighbors describe Dr. Iqbal as a disciplined professional who has always been focused on his medical career since completing his MBBS in China in 2018. His brother, Dr. Yahya Khandey, a physician at GMC Rajouri, emphasized that the family has a clean record—noting that their father is a police officer—and suggested the situation might be a misunderstanding. Neighbors echoed these sentiments, stating they had never seen him engage in any controversial or anti-national activities during his time in Kashmir.
As the investigation continues, authorities in J&K are cross-verifying Dr. Iqbal’s history at the request of the UP police. While a formal statement is pending, top intelligence officials have reportedly indicated that, so far, nothing adverse has been found against the doctor in his home state records. The forensic analysis of his digital devices remains the most critical piece of evidence to determine whether the posts were a deliberate act or the result of a cyber security breach.
