Kashmir: Police seize properties belonging to 5 Hizbul Mujahideen operatives

JAMMU AND KASHMIR police has seized nearly 2.9 acres of land belonging to five operatives of the proscribed terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Gool area of Ramban district, an official spokesman said on Friday (28).

The five terrorists - Saraj Din (48) of Sangaldan, Reyaz Ahmed (45) of Dalwah, Farooq Ahmed (46) of Banj Bhimdassa, and Mohd Ashraf (50) and Mushtaq Ahmed(47) of Moila - have crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and are operating from there, he said.

They were trying to sell these assets to fund militant activities, the spokesman added.

"The seizure of immovable properties belonging to these five exfiltrated terrorists of the Gool area is a decisive step in dismantling terror funding networks and preventing the resurgence of militancy in the region.

"It sends across a strong message to the terrorists operating from PoK that their attempts to revive terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir will not be tolerated," he said.

The seized immovable properties include agriculture land measuring 15-kanal and 17-marla registered in the name of Reyaz Ahmed valued at ₹4.3 million (£39,410.29), land measuring 1 kanal and 3-marla in the name of Din valued at ₹634,000 (£5,757.17), land measuring 1 kanal and 11-marla of Ashraf with a value of ₹867,000 (£7,872.98), land measuring 3-kanal and 4-marla in the name of Mushtaq valued at ₹1.79 million (£16,262.72), and land measuring 1 kanal and 18-marla of Farooq with a value of ₹375,000 (£3,406.99).

The spokesman said that security forces remain committed to ensuring long-term peace, stability and development in Jammu and Kashmir while taking firm action against those trying to destabilise the region.

According to police, the five terrorists crossed over to PoK to receive arms training and carry out militant activities in India.

Intelligence reports suggested that they were attempting to sell their immovable properties in Jammu and Kashmir with the intention of using the proceeds to finance terrorist activities and lure local youth into militancy, the spokesman said.

The seizure order, issued by the sub-divisional police officer in Gool, prevents the sale, lease or any other form of transaction involving these properties without the permission of the J-K Police or other designated authorities, he said.

The seizure will cut off a potential source of terror funding that would have been used to revive Hizbul Mujahideen's influence in the region, he added.

Police said the families of the five terrorists will now face legal and financial constraints, preventing them from providing indirect support to militant activities.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has been proactively cracking down on terror funding, overground worker (OGW) networks and exfiltrated terrorists, significantly weakening the terror ecosystem in recent years, the spokesman said.

The latest action aligns with the government's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, he added.