Srinagar, May 25 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday carried out raids at multiple locations across parts of Kashmir in connection with an ongoing investigation, official sources said.

According to sources, searches are being conducted in several areas of Srinagar and Shopian districts as part of the agency’s continued crackdown linked to alleged terror activities and anti-national networks.

One of the raids was conducted at Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom in Imamsahib. The Centre had earlier banned this institution over alleged terror links and anti-national activities, sources said.

They added that another NIA team also searched the residence of former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shahzada Aurangzeb in the Molu Chitragam area in Shopian district.

The raids were carried out jointly by teams of the NIA, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Sources said the searches were linked to an ongoing investigation, although officials have not yet disclosed specific details regarding the nature of the case or whether any detentions were made during the operation.

In February 2024, the Central government had declared ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ an “unlawful association” for another five years under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Founded in 1941, Jamaat-e-Islami has long been accused by security agencies of involvement in activities related to fomenting terrorism, spreading anti-India propaganda and encouraging separatist ideology in Jammu and Kashmir.

Announcing the continuation of the ban on the organisation last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that the move was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “zero-tolerance” policy against terrorism and separatism.

Earlier, the Centre had first imposed a ban on ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ in February 2019, a few months before the abrogation of Article 370 provisions from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

–IANS

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