Three separatist leaders arrested by police after NIA raids in Srinagar

All three leaders- Mohammad Altaf Shah, son-in-low of hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani; Aiyaz Akbar, Spokesman of the amalagam and  Mehrajuddin Kalwal, another senior leader, have to face questioning by the NIA at New Delhi, they said.

The NIA raided the houses of these leaders early this morning, before police arrested them and lodged them in police station Rajbagh.

They will be flown to New Delhi to face the questioning of NIA, in connection with terror funding from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the sources added.

They said the separatist leaders had been summoned to Delhi to face the NIA questioning on June 29.

The house of Aiyaz Akbar at Malroo, Shalteang in Srinagar outskirts was raided early this month, when NIA also raided the houses of several other separatist leaders, including media advisor of chairman of moderate HC Advocate Shahidul Islam. Islam was later questioned by the Agency in New Delhi.

Mr Shah was also summoned to Delhi, where he was questioned for about a week, before allowing him to return to Srinagar.        

The raids followed alleged admission by National Front (NF) chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan in a television sting operation that separatists are receiving money from Pakistan, PoK and other countries for terror and stone pelting funding in the valley.

The NIA also raided the houses of Farooq Ahmed Dar alias 'Bitta Karate' and Gazi Javed Baba of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), a constituent of hardline HC, also headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Both these leaders were also summoned to Delhi, where they were grilled by the NIA.

The NIA also conducted multiple raids in Kashmir, Haryana and New Delhi on June 3 after the admission by Khan, who was later expelled from hardline HC. Besides separatists, the NIA also conducted raids on businessmen, in connection with terror funding.

However, Mr Khan later denied the sting operation and alleged it was fabricated.

Advocate Islam was also summoned to New Delhi, where he was questioned this month.

The separatists have threatened to launch a massive agitation, if victimisation of separatist leaders and business community was not stopped.