Srinagar: The crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) continues in Jammu & Kashmir as three more arrests were made from Kishtwar after the separatist organisation’s top leadership were arrested from Srinagar earlier this week. More than 70 bank accounts linked to the organisation were sealed and many others are under the government’s scanner only in Srinagar. The government also froze various cash funds amounting to Rs 52 crore belonging to Jamaat. As many as 200 leaders and cadre from the separatist organisation were taken into preventive custody ahead of Article 35A hearing later in the week. The government evoked UAPA against the organisation.

Meanwhile, the government is trying to identify the properties and assets of JeI for attachment across the state. It has accessed visuals of searches being carried out at the Jamaat office. JeI, which is part of separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (an umbrella organisation of separatists), in a statement on February 24 condemned the crackdown, saying the police and other forces launched a mass arrest during the intervening night of 22-23 February and raided many houses and dozens of central and district level leaders were arrested. "The move is a well-designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region."

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The statement said "The way forces personnel unleashed the spree of mass arrest and detained dozens of Jamaat members prior to the hearing seems something is hatching behind the curtains. Any attempt of eroding or tampering Article 35A is unacceptable for people of Jammu and Kashmir,".    

J&K Police Saturday (February 24) launched a massive crackdown on JeI and detained or arrested hundreds of its top leaders and cadre including chairman Abdul Hamid Fayaz..

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