NIA raids 45 locations in Jammu and Kashmir in terror funding case
Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday (August 8) conducted raids against Jamaat-e-Islami-linked members at almost 45 locations across Jammu and Kashmir.
The raids come more than two years after the religious outfit was banned by the Centre under anti-terror laws.
The raids were conducted on the houses and offices of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) activists in almost all districts of Kashmir and a few districts in Jammu region, including Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri, officials said.
The outfit was banned by the Centre in February 2019 for five years under anti-terror laws on the ground that it was “in close touch” with militant outfits and was expected to “escalate secessionist movement” in the erstwhile state.
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A notification, banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hundreds of JeI activists were arrested in a major crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the ban which came just months ahead of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union territories in August 2019. The officials said the latest raids by National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths assisted by police and CRPF were conducted in connection with an ongoing investigation into a case related to terror activities of the group. The searches at multiple locations are still going on and further details are awaited, they added.
(With inputs from agencies)
