NIA raids on Hurriyat leaders lead to clashes

SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency, a team of which is camping in Kashmir to probe the Pulwama terror attack, raided the residences of several Hurriyat leaders on Tuesday.

During the searches, NIA officials found incriminating documents, including property papers, financial transactions receipts and bank account details. Electronic devices including laptops, e-tabs, mobile phones, pen drives, communication system and DVRs. "We also found letter heads of various terrorist organisations as well as documents relating to recommendations for visa for admission in educational institutions in Pakistan. A high-tech internet communication set up was also recovered from the residence of Mirwaiz," read the official statement.

The NIA raided the houses of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Shah and Zafar Akbar Bhat.


State police whisked away NIA officials after locals protested against them outside the Maisuma residence of Malik, leading to clashes. From the residence of Sehrai, among other things, NIA officials have reportedly seized documents related to his son, Junaid Sehrai, who had joined Hizbul Mujahideen last year.

During his visit to the valley last week, after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, home minister Rajnath Singh said the government had asked authorities to review the security given to some people in the state.