5 More ‘Terrorist Associates’ Detained Under J&K’s Tough Law PSA

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir police have detained five more alleged ‘terrorist associates’ under the region’s tough law Public Safety Act (PSA) and moved them to various prisons outside the Kashmir Valley.

All the accused are residents of capital Srinagar and have been identified as Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Faizan Akhter Bhat, Merajuddin Bhat, Umar Hamid Sheikh and Suhaib Shafi. They were booked under the PSA after obtaining formal detention orders based on dossiers prepared against them by the Srinagar police, a police spokesman said, adding that consequently, they have been detained and subsequently lodged in the district jails of Kathua, Udhampur and Kot Balwal Jammu.

Under the PSA, a person can be detained without seeking formal trial for a period of three months to two years. The PSA was introduced in J&K way back in 1978 by the National Conference government headed by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, initially to deal with timber smuggling and similar crimes, but it has been often used by the successive governments against their political opponents.

The PSA has been defined by Amnesty International as a 'lawless law' for its draconian nature. A 2018 UN report on Kashmir also called for revocation of this law.

The police termed the detention of the five accused as part of its “decisive action” against subversive and criminal elements inimical to the security and integrity of the country. It claimed that many criminal cases stand registered against these individuals and, despite this, they did not mend their ways and after getting bailed out from courts, they were “brazenly involved in criminal and subversive activities prejudicial to the interests of the nation”.

The spokesman said that the J&K police have been systemically targeting and dismantling such anti-national infrastructure in Srinagar city through its relentless crackdown on such elements. “J&K police affirms its steadfast commitment in eliminating criminal activities prejudicial to the security and peace in this region with the full might of law. We also caution those engaged in unlawful or disruptive activities detrimental to the security of the Nation that the long arm of law would catch them sooner than anticipated and every offender will face justice”, a statement issued by the police here added.

Last month, the J&K authorities had on the recommendation of the police detained 23 persons-all residents of Srinagar- under the PSA, after accusing them of being involved in activities detrimental to the security of the country. They too were lodged in different jails outside the Kashmir Valley after the concerned district magistrate formally slapped the PSA on them based on the police reports that mentioned them as “terrorist associates” of various proscribed outfits involved in subversive activities and claiming they were inimical to the security and public order of the country. Some of the detainees were called “miscreants” involved in public disturbance.

Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the J&K police have detained hundreds of people including former militants, members of separatist organisations, alleged Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of militant outfits, “terrorist associates” and other potential troublemakers. Many of them have been formally booked under the PSA and other tough laws. The security forces also demolished the family houses of, at least, ten wanted militants including a Pahalgam attack suspect across the Kashmir Valley.

However, various political parties and leaders and civil society groups have criticised the heavy-handed approach. They have cautioned the government that “collective punishment” will alienate the Kashmiris.

On the other hand, police have termed these actions as a decisive move against terrorism and part of its tough campaign against anti-national elements. The police authorities say they deemed the use of PSA necessary, and that the detention of what it insists are anti-national and subversive elements and miscreants “marks a significant step towards dismantling terrorist support networks in J&K.”