J&K police extend separatists’ custody
Apprehensive about protests that Kashmir might witness on the first death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani, Jammu and Kashmir police has decided to extend the detention of three separatist leaders in preventive custody.
The development comes days after the United Jehad Council (UJC), an amalgam of militant organisations in Kashmir, called for a week-long agitation to mark Wani’s death. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin had announced that ‘Hafta-e-Shuhuda (martyrs’ week) would be observed beginning July 7 on both sides of the LoC.
The decision to extend the custody was communicated to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which had sought information on when the police was planning to release the three. They were taken into custody by local police last week before they were to be questioned by NIA.
NIA sources said investigators wanted to question Altaf Ahmad Shah, son-in-law of senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, Ajaz Akbar, spokesman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, and Mehrajudin Kalwal, district president of the same group.
According to official sources, local police told NIA the three detainees will be released depending upon the situation in Kashmir. “Local police wants to ride out the week.There is anticipation that the week might see some unrest in the valley,” official sources said.
The NIA in June filed an FIR against Hafeez Saeed, Pakistanbased chief of Jamaat-ud Dawah, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and separatist organisations such as the Hurriyat Conference (factions led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq) and Dukhtaran-e-Millat.
More than 100 people were killed in clashes during the sixmonth long protests that followed after Wani was killed in a gunfight with security forces on July 8 last year. The NIA is now probing whether separatist groups received funds from Pakistan to back street protests.
The Birmingham City Council on Wednesday withdrew permission to organisers of a rally to commemorate the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani outside the Council House on July 8, following a strong protest by the Indian high commission.
India had issued a ‘note verbale’ to the foreign office on Monday, asking London to stop the rally, which was billed as a ‘Kashmir Rally’. Its posters and announcements carried a photo of Wani, who was killed on July 8, 2016, followed by a prolonged period of unrest in Kashmir.
A Birmingham Council spokesperson told HT: “We took a booking for a peaceful rally highlighting the human rights abuse in Kashmir. However, we are now aware of concerns raised about the promotional leaflet and, having assessed the material, have not given permission for the use of Victoria Square.”
The withdrawal of permission marks a significant development in India-UK relations.