Police conduct raids in Srinagar against suspects spreading propaganda

Police on Saturday said it conducted raids at multiple locations in the city as part of investigations against suspects allegedly involved in spreading malicious and seditious propaganda aimed at provoking people into unlawful and violent activities.

A spokesperson said the searches were carried out in the Batamaloo and HMT areas of Srinagar city in a case under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act registered at the Shergari police station.

The investigation is underway against some individuals, who at the behest of adversaries and in criminal conspiracy with others, were found prima facia involved in "orchestrating a campaign of manufacturing fabricated and malicious narrative by way of disseminating twisted and false information to provoke people for unlawful and violent activities", the official said.

He said that the Srinagar district police, after obtaining search warrants from an NIA court, conducted the searches in the houses of Obais Riyaz Dar of Bonpora, Batamaloo, and Sahil Ahmad Bhat of HMT, Zainakot.

Incriminating materials and electronic devices were seized during the raids, the spokesperson added.

He said more such searches in the houses of identified suspects involved in spreading "malicious and seditious propaganda" would be conducted in the coming days.

The official urged citizens to exercise responsibility while using social media platforms and refrain from sharing or uploading inciteful content that promotes false narratives and misleads people, especially the youth, to commit acts of terror.