J&K police raid separatists on 2nd day in UAPA cases

SRINAGAR: Continuing its crackdown on separatists for the second consecutive day, Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday raided multiple locations in Srinagar, Anantnag, and Sopore, including at residences of members of Hurriyat Conference and Tehreek Hurriyat Conference, as part on its probe into UAPA cases.

Armed with search warrants issued by a NIA court, police raided former Hurriyat chief Abdul Gani Bhat’s Sopore and Srinagar houses and Anantnag resides of Tehreek Hurriyat Conference’s Ashiq Hussain, Muslim Conference’s Ghulam Nabi Sumji, and Mukthar Ahmad Sofi and Mukthar Ahmad Waza of Jammu Kashmir People's League, among others.

“The cases pertain to the banned organizations, including J&K Muslim Conference, J&K Muslim League, J&K Democratic Freedom Party. These proactive operations aim to neutralize networks that threaten peace and stability,” police said.

The raids coincide with the decision of J&K Peoples’ Movement and J&K Democratic Political Movement to quit Hurriyat Conference.

On March 11, Union home ministry declared Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s J&K Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Mohammad Abbas Ansari-headed J&K Ittehadul Muslimeen (JKIM) as “unlawful association” for the next five years. Both the banned outfits are constituents of Hurriyat Conference.