Jammu and Kashmir police has initiated a case under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), against family members of deceased Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for raising anti-India slogans and wrapping the body in a Pakistani flag.
Geelani, one of the most prominent figures in the Kashmiri resistance movement, died in Srinagar late on September.
Indian forces ‘snatched’ his body from the family and buried him the same night, against the will of the family. Geelani, the veteran Kashmir leader had no family during the last rite.
A video that has gone viral on social media platforms showed the body draped in a Pakistani flag. The video also shows a group of people, including women, wailing and protesting against the police’s move to take away the body of Geelani for the funeral.
A general FIR ( 277/2021) has been registered by the Budgam police against family members of Geelani, but no arrest made so far.
The FIR is under several sections of the draconian UAPA, reported The Hindu.
“We wanted burial in the morning but police refused. They broke open doors and misbehaved with women. We couldn’t attend last rights after they took the body forcibly,” said Naseem Geelani, son of Syed Ali Shah Geelani told NDTV.
“An FIR was registered against the family, relatives and some miscreants who created unlawful activities on September 1-2 night after the death of Geelani in his house,” police told The Hindu.
India announced a curfew and snapped phone and internet connections to stifle anti-India protests.
No congregational prayers were allowed in any major mosques and shrines on Friday.
A few months ago, two sons of Ashraf Sehri, a separatist leader from Kashmir who died when he was in custody, were booked under UAPA for allegedly anti-India slogans.
