Srinagar, Oct 24 (KNS) : Six persons have been arrested in north Kashmir's Bandipora district for their alleged links with the banned organisation Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen, with police probing suspected cross-border funding and a network allegedly involved in separatist propaganda and prison-based contacts.
A case has been registered under Sections 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) at Bandipora police station, officials said on Saturday.
According to a police, the investigation began with Waheed Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Handwara in Kupwara district, who had earlier been arrested in a UAPA case following a conference in 2022.
During his stay in Kupwara jail, Bhat allegedly re-established contact with a Pakistan-based handler identified as Manzoor Ahmad Shah, police claimed.
The alleged network subsequently focused on propagating its ideology and organising meetings to garner support, with some women also allegedly involved in the activities, police said.
After Bhat was released on medical grounds in August 2024, around 14 to 15 secret meetings were allegedly held in Bandipora and adjoining areas. Five to six of these meetings were reportedly organised at a small hotel along the Bandipora-Baramulla route, according to police.
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Investigators have also traced suspected financial transactions linked to the alleged network. Around Rs 7-8 lakh is suspected to have been transferred to the module over a period of more than a year, police said.
Of this amount, around Rs 2.26 lakh was allegedly deposited into the J&K Bank account of Mubeena Banoo, a resident of Dachigam in Bandipora, while the remaining funds were reportedly delivered through cash couriers.
A portion of the money was allegedly distributed among associates, while some funds were used for Bhat's medical treatment, police claimed.
The six arrested persons have been identified as Mubeena Banoo, Waheed Ahmad Bhat, Kushboo Jan, Mehak Jan, Aliya Jan and Irfan Ahmed Reshi alias Rayees.
Police said the investigation had also brought to light the alleged involvement of a religious cleric and two suspected couriers from Kupwara. Their roles and the financial trail are being verified, they added.
Further investigation is underway to establish the full extent of the alleged network, identify its funding channels and determine the role of each person involved, police said. (KNS)
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