The Shadow of Absence: When a Separatist's Old Home Faces the Law

In a move that certainly turns heads, and one might even say underscores the relentless push against separatist activities, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have, in truth, attached the residential house of a prominent separatist. This individual, a man named Mohd. Shaheen, son of Mohd. Shafi Dar, has been living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for decades — since 1990, to be precise. His old home, nestled in Gundbal, Batamaloo, Srinagar, now stands as a symbol of a broader, more intricate battle.

It’s a stark, perhaps even a poignant reminder of the long arm of the law, reaching across borders, or at least, acknowledging a history of alleged transgression. The police assert that Shaheen has been deeply involved in what they term 'anti-national activities,' actively sponsoring terrorism from his vantage point across the Line of Control. And honestly, it’s a narrative we've heard before, but each instance feels particularly heavy, doesn't it?

The legal framework for this action? Well, it falls squarely under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), specifically sections 33(1) and 33(2). This isn’t a unilateral decision, mind you; the police received the green light, formal confirmation even, from the competent authority — the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. So, it's all by the book, legally speaking, even if the implications feel quite personal.

This attachment isn’t happening in a vacuum. Rather, it's a piece of a much larger, ongoing police crackdown. They're targeting the funding networks, the very arteries that, they claim, sustain terror activities within Jammu and Kashmir. Shaheen, for his part, reportedly crossed over to PoK way back in 1990, ostensibly for illegal arms training. He never returned, instead, becoming what authorities describe as an active separatist, relentlessly pushing local youth towards militancy and violence. You could say, for once, the consequences of a decades-long absence are finally hitting home, quite literally.

The property itself, identified by Police Station Batamaloo, became the subject of FIR No. 94/2022, registered under various sections of the UAPA, including 13, 17, 18, and 39. It paints a picture, a rather clear one, of the authorities drawing a hard line. What does this mean for the future? Well, it certainly sends a message, doesn't it? A message that the alleged financing of terror, even from afar, carries significant and lasting repercussions, right down to the family home.