J&K Police intensify anti-terror operations, seize two houses in Bandipora for sheltering militants

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday attached two houses in Bandipora under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly providing shelter to terrorists, officials said.

A police spokesman said that the houses belong to two “terrorist associates” who already stand arrested. The double storied residential houses of Abdul Majeed Reshi, father of accused Aijaz Ahmad Reshi alias Doctor, at Gundpora Rampura, and Mohammad Jamal Malik, father of accused Maqsood Ahmad Malik, at Chitteybandey Aragam village were attached in presence of executive magistrate under Section 25 of the UAPA.

The spokesman added that the process for attachment of the property, falling within the ambit proceeds of terrorism, was initiated by the order of the divisional commissioner, Kashmir.

“According to the notice, the owner of these houses have been restrained to ‘transfer, lease out, dispose off, change its nature or deal with the said property in any manner without the permission of designated authority. Any violation will attract penal provision of law,” the spokesman said.

Dozens of houses and properties belonging to family members of terrorists were attached in the Valley in the past four-five months. On March 3, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached the house of terrorist Basit Ahmad Reshi, a resident of Baramulla who has been operating from Pakistan.

A day before, the property of Mushtaq Zargar alias Latram, the founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen was attached in Nowhatta, Srinagar. On February 27, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) attached four houses in Srinagar for providing shelter to terrorists– three at Barthana in Qamerwari area and one at Sangam, Eidgah.

Early this month, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti castigated the attachment of houses accusing the central government of inflicting “collective punishment” on the people of J&K.