Srinagar: A school allegedly run by individuals affiliated with a banned organisation in Shopian district of south Kashmir has been declared an “unlawful entity” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg issued a two-page order based on a dossier presented by Senior Superintendent of Police, Shopian, pointing towards the alleged illegal activities at Darul Uloom Jamia Sirajul Uloom at Imam Sahib in Shopian.
According to the order issued by Garg on April 24, there were “credible inputs and evidence on record, to indicate sustained and covert linkages of the institution with Jamaat-e-Islami,” which the Centre had banned in 2019.
The order said there was a de facto control of the institution by individuals affiliated with the banned outfit, including their placement in key administrative and academic positions.
It said the institution, over a period of time, “has fostered an environment conducive to radicalisation with a number of pass-outs from the institution found involved in militant activities and acts prejudicial to national security”.
The dossier also raised the issues of financial opacity, suspicious handling of institutional funds and changes in financial control structures, raising apprehensions of diversion and misuse of funds.
“The cumulative facts and circumstances, supported by intelligence inputs and field verification, provide sufficient grounds to reasonably believe that the premises are being used for the purposes of an unlawful association,” it added.
However, Mohammad Shafi Lone, chairman of the institute, said they had no links with Jamaat-e-Islami or any illegal outfit.
“We are a law abiding institute and have nothing to do with banned Jamaat-e-Islami. There are 814 students currently enrolled in the school which is affiliated to the Board of School Education and Kashmir School Federation,” Lone told reporters.
He said the institution had received a show cause notice from the authorities last month which was duly replied.
“If the authorities still have any doubts, they should constitute a committee and investigate the allegations against our institution. If these allegations are found true, we are with the government in whatever action it decides to take,” Lone said.
In another development, District Magistrate, Shopian, Shishir Gupta passed prohibitory orders on Monday against the entry of any unauthorised person into the educational institution.
“No person, who was not a resident of Darul Uloom Jamia Sirajul Uloom, Imam Sahib, Shopian as on date, shall enter, or be in the said premises without my prior written permission,” the order issued by Gupta read.
As per the order, the prohibition on ingress shall not apply to any “near relative” of persons who were residents of the notified place when the notification was issued.
