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Regular-article-logo Saturday, 27 April 2024

‘Terror’ lock on separatist house

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday sealed the house of jailed separatist leader Asiya Andrabi

Our Special Correspondent Srinagar Published 10.07.19, 07:55 PM
A man reads a National Investigation Agency notice on the main gate of separatist leader Asiya Andrabi's residence in Srinagar on Wednesday

A man reads a National Investigation Agency notice on the main gate of separatist leader Asiya Andrabi's residence in Srinagar on Wednesday (PTI photo)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday sealed the house of jailed separatist leader Asiya Andrabi allegedly because it was raised with the “proceeds of terrorism”, making it the first such move by the agency against any separatist leader after it began its crackdown on them two years ago.

Andrabi heads the women separatist group, Dukhtaran e Milat, and is the wife of Ashiq Hussain alias Qasim Faktoo, the longest incarcerated separatist leader of Kashmir.

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In an attachment order pasted at the entrance of her house in Srinagar’s Soura, the NIA said it had a reasons to believe that the property “represents proceeds of terrorism,” and was used for “furtherance of terrorist activities”.

The NIA launched its crackdown against separatists in 2017 and has arrested a number of top guns over these years.

Andrabi has been one of the most vocal supporters of militancy in the state but she or her group is not known to have been directly involved in armed insurgency.

The NIA notice said |the house was attached under the Unlawful Activities |(Prevention) Act, which allows authorities to seal |properties on the ground that they were raised with the proceeds of terrorism.

The agency directed “all the concerned not to transfer, sell or otherwise deal with the said property in any manner, whatsoever, except with prior permission”.

The order said the property was attached after approval from the state police chief.

Police sources said the house was vacant as the two sons of Andrabi are studying abroad.

In May, the Enforcement Directorate had attached assets linked to jailed separatist leader Shabir Shah.

The NIA had registered a case against Andrabi in April last year for carrying out “anti-national activities.”

The agency charged her and her associates — Sofi Fehmeeda and Naheeda Nasreen — with inciting the people of Kashmir to carry out a “rebellion against the Government of India with aid and assistance of terrorist organisations based in Pakistan” through her group.

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