Srinagar, Oct 1: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday attached a three-storey building in Hyderpora serving as the headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir, a separatist organisation founded by hardline leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in 2004. The action comes as part of a broader crackdown on secessionist and unlawful activities in the region.
A team of officers from Budgam police carried out the attachment, placing a formal notice on the walls of the office at Rehmatabad, Hyderpora. Authorities said the action was taken under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, and is linked to an FIR registered last year at Budgam police station against the banned outfit. The property, spread over a 5,700-square-foot plot, had long functioned as the operational hub of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.
“Acting on collected evidence and with due approval from the competent authority, the property was attached as per legal provisions. This action is a significant step in the ongoing investigations against unlawful and subversive activities and reflects the firm resolve of Budgam Police to neutralise threats to national security while maintaining peace in the region,” police officials said.
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir was established by Syed Ali Shah Geelani after he broke away from Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. The split arose over differences regarding participation in elections through proxy candidates by Hurriyat Conference constituent People’s Conference, which Geelani opposed. This ideological rift eventually led to a vertical split within the Hurriyat Conference, prompting Geelani to form his own parallel faction in 2004.
The police action reflects continued efforts by the Jammu and Kashmir administration to dismantle organisational structures linked to separatist agendas. By attaching the property, authorities aim to disrupt the administrative and operational capabilities of banned organisations operating under the guise of political activity.
Officials added that the seizure of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat office also serves as a deterrent against other entities attempting to engage in unlawful activities. The move follows intelligence gathering, monitoring, and investigations conducted over the past months, ensuring that the attachment is legally sound and backed by substantial evidence.
This step is expected to have implications for the ongoing surveillance and investigation of secessionist networks in the region. (Agencies)
