Srinagar, Sept. 23 -- As many as 4,249 books have been withdrawn from circulation in colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir following scrutiny of material termed "objectionable" by the Higher Education department.

The figures placed before the Legislative Assembly show a sharp regional difference in the withdrawals, with 3,996 books taken off the shelves in Kashmir, and 253 in the Jammu division.

The government said the department has so far examined 21,81,582 books and other publications as part of the scrutiny exercise. Of these, 12,48,641 were examined in Kashmir and 9,32,941 in Jammu.

The withdrawal figure does not include books already covered by formal bans.

The House was informed that 518 copies belonging to 19 titles ...