Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Police On Saturday In its continued crackdown on separatists in the valley, launched a massive crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in the valley and detained or arrested some of its top leaders including chairman Abdul Hamid Fayaz. JeI, which is part of separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (an umbrella organisation of separatists), in a statement condemning the crackdown said 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 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,". It is to be noted that the detentions and arrests come two days ahead of the likely hearing of Article 35A in Supreme Court on Monday (February 25). The provision included in the Indian Constitution in 1954 grants special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Among those who were detained include: JeI chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, Advocate Zahid Ali (Spokesperson), Ghulam Qadir Lone (Former Secretary General), Abdur Rouf (Ameer, Zila Islamabad), Mudasir Ahmad (Ameer, Tehsil Pahalgam), Abdul Salam (Dialgam), Bakhtawar Ahmad (Dialgam), Mohammad Hayat (Tral), Bilal Ahmad (Chadoora), Ghulam Mohammad Dar (Chak Sangran) and dozens more.

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The police termed the detentions as routine but as per reports this is the first major crackdown in the valley. The police also detained Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief and Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik in Srinagar on Friday night ahead of the hearing on Article 35A in Supreme Court, which is likely to take place on Monday.