India continues crackdown on Kashmiri leaders

SRINAGAR (AA): An Indian investigation agency on Tuesday carried out raids at homes of several Kashmiri leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Masarat Alam, a statement said.

The team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) was accompanied by the Indian paramilitary and police forces.

“During the searches, NIA teams recovered incriminating documents including property papers, financial transactions receipts and bank account details,” the NIA said in a statement.

“A high tech internet communication set up was also recovered from the residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq,” the statement added.

Besides Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Alam, and Malik, NIA also raided the residences of senior leaders Shabir Shah, Ashraf Sehrai, Zafar Bhat and Nayeem Geelani — son of octogenarian Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani.

The fresh spate of raids on the Kashmiri leaders began after the Feb. 14 suicide bombing attack that killed at least 40 paramilitary personnel officials.

Over the last three days, Indian forces have arrested over 200 people, including Jamaat e Islami leaders.

Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars — in 1948, 1965 and 1971 — two of them over Kashmir.

Also, in Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, Indian and Pakistani troops have fought intermittently since 1984. A cease-fire came into effect in 2003.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.