House Used by Kashmiri Separatist Patriarch Geelani As Official Residence Sealed by Police

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday sealed and attached a three-storey building along with its annexe, located in Srinagar’s Hyderpora quarter, which had served as the official residence and office of the banned Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) organization, led by the late Kashmiri separatist patriarch Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The property, which was a significant hub of political activity, was owned by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI). Geelani, who passed away at the age of 91 on September 1, 2021, due to a prolonged illness, had resided in this building until his death, after which his family relocated to another property they owned.

The attachment of the property was carried out by Budgam Police under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), as part of an ongoing crackdown on organisations and individuals accused of engaging in subversive activities in J&K. The property, identified under Khasra number 946 and Khata number 306, consists of a three-storey building constructed on 1 kanal and 1 marla of land. It had been functioning as the central office of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, an organisation outlawed by the Government of India for its alleged role in promoting separatist ideology and facilitating militant activities in the Kashmir Valley.

The action is linked to FIR No. 08/2024, registered at Budgam Police Station under various provisions of the UAPA. Following a thorough investigation and with due sanction from the competent legal authority, Budgam Police proceeded with the attachment, ensuring the procedure was conducted transparently and in accordance with legal protocols, a statement issued by it said.

The TeH, founded by Geelani, has long been under scrutiny by security agencies. Both it and JeI were banned by the Union Home Ministry under the UAPA after being declared “unlawful associations” for their alleged involvement in militancy and promotion of anti-national activities.

Since the imposition of the ban, several leaders and members of these organisations have faced arrests, property seizures, and investigations under the UAPA.

In a related operation, the police in the northwestern town of Sopore conducted search operations on Wednesday at the residences of individuals linked to the JeI in the Zaloora area. The searches targeted the homes of Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Tanveer Ahmad Dar, both residents of Zaloora. These operations were carried out in connection with FIRs registered under the UAPA, following the issuance of valid search warrants from a competent court, officials said.

During the searches, Sopore Police recovered and seized incriminating material linked to the proscribed JeI, which will be used for further investigation. “The operations were conducted in the presence of magistrates and independent witnesses to ensure full compliance with legal standards and transparency,” a police spokesman said, adding that the raids are part of Sopore Police’s ongoing efforts to dismantle networks involved in separatist and terror-related activities, with the aim of preventing the spread of radical ideologies, safeguarding public order, and protecting national sovereignty.

Sopore Police reiterated their unwavering commitment to taking strong action, in strict accordance with the law, against individuals and groups associated with banned organizations or attempting to revive separatist-terrorist networks. These measures are deemed critical to maintaining peace and stability in the region and countering threats to national security, it said.