After getting 'vital leads' regarding evil designs of terror outfits active in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is going to conduct more raids on the second-rung leaders of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) to completely smash its network at the grassroots.

Earlier on August 8, the NIA had conducted raids as many as 56 locations in14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir on the residences, premises, and other locations of JeI leaders and activists. Some leaders of JeI were also detained after raids.

The raids were conducted after getting reports that despite a ban imposed the JeI activists were collecting donations that were being used for violent and secessionist activities and were motivating the youth of Kashmir to indulge in subversive activities.

On August 8, the NIA had detained the district president of JeI Kishtwar and recovered a large number of incriminating documents, electronic devices, and mobile telephones from his possession.

National Investigation Agency
National Investigation Agency (NIA)Twitter

NIA devises strategy to smash network of JeI

As per a news agency, a fresh set of searches would be conducted on the premises of JeI cadres and their supporters across Jammu and Kashmir any time next week.

"During questioning of some detained leaders of JeI, the NIA has got new leads and further course of action is a part of the ongoing campaign to plug all financial channels of the banned outfit", reports said and added, "Over a dozen JeI cadres and suspects were examined for over a week at the agency headquarters at Delhi and more than five suspects are still being questioned".

"The NIA is now engaged in 'building up' the case as the suspects being questioned are among those JeI cadres whose residential premises were raided by the NIA sleuths during its August 8", the news agency reported.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)
National Investigation Agency (NIA)twitter [Representational Image]

Doctor, government teachers under scanner

Sources said that a doctor and some government teachers are under scanner for working with the banned organization in Jammu province. On August 8, houses of a doctor, a serving, and two retired teachers were already raided by the sleuths of the NIA in the Jammu region.

During raids in 14 districts across J&K, a leader of the JeI was detained from Kishtwar who is a retired teacher and very top leader of the JeI not only in Jammu province but of the entire Union Territory.

At Doda, the NIA sleuths had raided the house of government teacher and a doctor. During the raids, sleuths recovered a large number of incriminating documents, electronic devices, mobile telephones, etc from residences and other premises of the JeI leaders.

JeI banned in J&K after Pulwama terror attack

As reported earlier in a massive crackdown on all secessionist organizations, the Home Ministry had banned the Jammu and Kashmir-based group, Jamaat-i-Islami (JeI), as an unlawful association in 2019. This action was taken within a couple of days after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019.

While banning JeI, the government made it clear that the group was indulging in activities that were prejudicial to internal security and public order and had the potential of disrupting the unity and integrity of the country.

The Union Government observed that the JeI was in touch with terror outfits and supported extremism and terrorism in Jammu, Kashmir, and elsewhere. Several members of the group were detained or arrested in a crackdown post-Pulwama terror attack.