NIA raids residences of Mirwaiz, other Hurriyat leaders

SRINAGAR: India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the residences of senior resistance leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Shabbir Ahmed Shah in occupied Kashmir on Tuesday.

As per Kashmir Media Service, the NIA sleuths raided the residence of the Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today, and carried out searches.

The NIA also raided the residences of illegally detained Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Chairman, Shabbir Ahmed Shah.

The agency also conducted similar raids on the houses of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Chairman, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Salvation Movement Chairman, Zafar Akbar Butt and Dr Nayeem Gilani, the son of APHC Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani.

Meanwhile, Indian troops launched a cordon and search operation in Rawalpora area of Shopian district. The troops have sealed all the entry and exit points of the area.

There has been a considerable build-up of Indian forces across occupied Kashmir after February 14 Pulwama incident in which over 40 soldiers were killed. Since then, the situation has been highly volatile across the territory.

The constraints were further escalated between the arch-rivals, as earlier today, Indian aircraft intruded the LoC near Muzaffarabad sector, however they scrambled back following timely response from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor informed in a tweet, Indian Air Force violated the LoC and the prompt response from the Pakistan Air Force compelled Indian jets to go back.

He said “facing timely and effective response from the PAF, [Indian jets] released [their] payload in haste while escaping, which fell near Balakot.” However, no casualties or damage was reported during the incident, DG ISPR added.