Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 8: Police today registered a case against Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), for calling strike on February 9 and 11 and questioned two journalists for putting the statement on social platforms.
The JKLF Thursday called for a strike on February 9 and 11 to observe the death anniversaries of Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat. JKLF’s call for a strike is the first by any separatist group since August 5, 2019, when the BJP-led Central Government revoked Article 370 of the Constitution.
Police today registered a case (FIR 11/2020 dated 08-02-2020 under Sections 11, 12 and 13) in Police Station Kothi Bagh Srinagar. They are investigating the man behind issuing the statement and sending the mails to the media persons and houses.
Police also questioned two journalists, Naseer Ahmad Ganai of India Today and Haroon of Current News Service for putting the statement on social media platforms. Ganai had tweeted the statement while Haroon had sent it on Whatsup of scores of people.
They were asked to report at the SOG Headquarters at Cargo in Srinagar and kept there for 2-3 hours during which they were asked why they put the statement on social media platforms.
In March 2019, the Central Government banned the JKLF, saying the outfit led by Yasin Malik was actively engaged in inciting secessionism and illegal funnelling of funds to foment terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The government declared the outfit “an unlawful association under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Prevention Act 1967”. Malik, who was detained on 22 2 -19, has been lodged in Tihar jail. He was booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
On February 9, 2020, it would be seven years since Guru was hanged and buried in Tihar jail after the Supreme Court upheld a verdict against the 43-year-old for his involvement in 2001 attack on the Parliament.
The mainstream parties, National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had objected to his “out-of-turn” execution maintaining that hanging Afzal would have long-term negative consequences in the then State.
Maqbool Bhat, the founder of pro-Independence JKLF, was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar jail on February 11, 1984, following conviction in the killing of a CID official.
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