Separatists call 2-day shutdown in Kashmir against NIA raids

Separatists Tuesday called for a two-day shutdown in Kashmir against NIA raids at residences of several leaders in connection with its investigation into terror funding through hawala channels.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), an umbrella coalition of separatist outfits, called for complete shutdown on Wednesday and Thursday against the NIA raids and "threats to tinker with" Article 35-A, which gives special rights and privileges to natives of the state.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35A this week.

In a statement, JLR alleged NIA personnel, accompanied by local police officials, straightaway barged into and started vandalizing their houses and intimidating their families.

"This act of clear vengeance in many cases continued from early morning till late in the day and ended after the complete devastation of the houses and families under siege," it alleged.

NIA sleuths searched the residences of several separatists leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Shah, Masarat Aalam Butt, Syed Naseem Geelani (son of Syed Ali Shah Geelani) and Zaffar Akbar Bhat, earlier Tuesday.