Police have arrested at least eight people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for sloganeering during the funeral of a youth killed in an accident in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
According to officials, four of them have already been arrested under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which provides for a maximum sentence of seven years in prison for “advocating, abetting, advising, or inciting the commission of any unlawful activity.”
According to sources, a youth identified as Mohammad Amin Dar, son of Abdul Ahad Dar of Bumhama, died in a road accident near his hometown on the intervening night of May 28.
Following the funeral, police reported that anti-India slogans were raised, prompting the filing of a FIR (FIR No. 181/21) in Police Station Kupwara under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to duly promulgated public servant order), 147 (punishment for rioting), and the stringent 13 ULA(P) Act.
Those named in the FIR, officials said, include Aabid Hussain Mir son of Abdul Gani Mir, Qaiser Ahmad Mir son of Farooq Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Mir son of Farooq Ahmad Mir, Zahoor Ahmad Dar son of Khazir Mohammad Dar, Aijaz Ahmad Ganai son of Ghulam Rasool Ganai, Abass Ahmad Mir son Khazir Mohammad Mir, Firdous Ahmad Bhat son of Lal Bhat and Fayaz Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Maqbool, all resident of Bumhama Kupwara.
Four of the individuals named in the FIR have been arrested, a police officer confirmed. Qaiser Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Mir, Zahoor Ahmad Dar, and Aijaz Ahmad Ganai are among them.
The Chenab Times News Desk