Separatist elements still giving oxygen to terror outfits in J&K, says DGP

Asserting that hundreds of properties linked to separatists supporting terrorists have been seized in Jammu and Kashmir, DGP Dilbag Singh on Wednesday said such elements are still "giving oxygen" to terror outfits in the Union Territory.

The Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police warned that those involved in supporting and sustaining militancy would not be spared.

During his visit to Kishtwar district where he reviewed the security situation ahead of Independence Day, Singh told the media that the recent multiple raids conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir were successful.

Also Read | Nine properties of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir restored to original owners: Centre

"Jamaat, Hurriyat and other separatist elements have been very active in Jammu and Kashmir. In fact, they have been responsible for sustaining the terror machinery for a pretty long time. They are still resorting to certain activities to give oxygen to terror outfits and to support the terror structure in J&K," the police chief said.

He said police and other security agencies are keeping a close eye on all such elements, and the NIA in coordination with police has carried out a very large number of raids at various places in this connection.

The NIA along with police and CRPF carried out 61 raids on August 8 and 9 on JeI members in all 10 districts of Kashmir, and Kishtwar, Ramban, Doda and Rajouri districts in the Jammu region in connection with a terror funding case.

The raids on the premises of office-bearers of the proscribed association, its members and also the offices of trusts purportedly run by the JeI were conducted more than two years after the socio-political and religious group was banned by the Centre under anti-terror laws.

In February 2019, the Centre banned the JeI for five years on the grounds that it was "in close touch" with militant outfits and was expected to "escalate secessionist movement" in the erstwhile state.

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 the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in August 2019.

The NIA said a case was registered on February 5, 2021 in pursuance of an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs relating to separatist and secessionist activities of JeI, an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, even after its proscription on February 28, 2019.

It said the members of the organisation have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations, particularly in the form of 'Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal' purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.

"The funds raised by JeI are also being channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well-organised networks of JeI cadres. The JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to participate in disruptive secessionist activities," an NIA spokesperson said on Sunday.

"Those raids have been very successful and we have been able to lay our hands on valuable devices and inputs which will be very helpful for our investigation," the DGP said, adding more such actions are likely to follow in teh future.

Asked about PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti describing the NIA raids against JeI as "self-goal" for the Centre, he said, "Irresponsible statements from some people do not mean that the police and other security agencies are there to harass people."

"We are actually there to support and help people and create better security environment but those who are involved in supporting and sustaining militancy will not be spared," the DGP said.

Responding to a question about any plan to confiscate the properties of JeI members, Singh said "this has already happened as a very large number of properties has been confiscated after Jamaat was banned".

"More such properties, when we establish that these were being used for supporting terror structure and terrorism, will face the same action… Hundreds of such properties have already been seized so far," the DGP said.