In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Police have booked 23 individuals under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for activities detrimental to national security and public order. The individuals, described as "subversive and criminal elements," are accused of being terror associates linked to proscribed terror outfits and of instigating public disturbances.
The police said that these 23 individuals were involved in activities against the nation and a threat to public order. Despite prior arrests and bail, they allegedly persisted in disturbing public order and engaging in subversive and criminal acts. Formal detention orders were issued by the District Magistrate of Srinagar following the review of dossiers prepared by the Srinagar Police. Subsequently, the detainees were moved to district jails in Poonch, Udhampur, and Kot Balwal, Jammu.
The police statement identified the individuals booked under the PSA as Saqib Shafi Wani, Waleed Aijaz Sheikh, Hashim Farooq Mir, Sayar Ahmad Sheikh, Tawseef Ahmad Khan, Showkat Ahmad Dar, Ali Mohammad Rather, Owais Farooq Lone, Musaib Ahmad Khan, Feroz Ahmad Najar, Shabir Ahmad Ghulam, Sajid Shahnawaz Mir, Numan Qayoom Ganie, Owais Altaf Bhat, Junaid Zahoor Bangroo, Muzaffar Farooq Mir, Uneeb Naseer Mir, Irfan Ahmad Seeru, Fahad Bashir Sidique, Zubair Ahmad Lone, Faizan Yaseen Sheikh, Ibrahim Rashid Ganie, and Abdul Hamid Ganie.
The police have stated that these detentions are part of a systematic effort to dismantle anti-national and anti-social elements within Srinagar. They cautioned against unlawful and disruptive activities. The State Investigation Agency (SIA) has been conducting raids across Kashmir, seizing incriminating materials and rounding up suspects for questioning. The SIA's preliminary investigation revealed that these terror associates are actively involved in propagating anti-India narratives, inciting disaffection, public disorder, and communal hatred, thereby posing a challenge to India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Public Safety Act (PSA) is a controversial law that allows detention without trial for up to two years. Organizations like Amnesty International have voiced concerns over the PSA. This is reportedly the first time that the police have publicly revealed the number of PSA cases invoked in the city, as such information was previously kept confidential.
