National Investigation Agency (NIA) with help of Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF raided nearly 40 locations on Sunday across Jammu and Kashmir. The raids were allegedly carried out on the houses of Jamaat-e-Islami activists and its offices. The raid is being carried out in connection with a case registered by the Agency against the banned outfit.
Sources say the NIA conducted raids to check the resurgence of Jamaat-e-Islami activities in Jammu and Kashmir. In Srinagar, searches are being carried out in Soura and Nowgam in Srinagar.
The raids have been conducted in the Achabal and Bijbehara area of Anantnag. In Budgam, searches are being carried out in the residences of many Jamaat leaders.
As per reports, the raids were conducted following a fresh FIR that was lodged against the JeM. The raids were part of the probe pertaining to the FIR.
In February 2019, the Centre banned JeI for five years under anti-terror laws on the ground that it was "in close touch" with militant outfits and was expected to "escalate secessionist movement" in the erstwhile state.
A notification, banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hundreds of JeI activists were arrested in a major crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the ban which came just months ahead of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union territories in August 2019.
The officials said the latest raids by National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths assisted by police and CRPF were conducted in connection with an ongoing investigation into a case related to terror activities of the group.
The searches at multiple locations are still going on and further details are awaited, they added.
(With inputs from PTI)
