JAMMU: NIA filed Friday a chargesheet against six senior Hurriyat Conference functionaries, including Shabir Ahmad Shah, in a 1996 case of alleged mob violence, firing on police personnel and anti-India activities during a militant’s funeral procession in Srinagar.According to the NIA, all six have been charged with criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder, rioting, assault on public servants and under provisions of the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.Union home ministry (MHA) transferred the probe to NIA from J&K Police in April this year. A Jammu court last week rejected Shah’s bail plea in the case, extending his judicial custody in a Jammu jail.Other than Shah, the chargesheet filed before the Jammu court names Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Ganie Lone, Mohd Yaqoob Wakeel, Javid Ahmad Mir and Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi. “Proceedings against Geelani, Lone and Wakeel stand abated following their deaths,” an NIA spokesperson said.According to the central agency, the case dates to July 17, 1996, when the funeral procession of slain militant Hilal Ahmad Beigh was passing Naaz Crossing in Srinagar.NIA claims armed militants mingled with the procession and opened fire on the police, injuring several personnel, while govt vehicles were extensively damaged in heavy stone-pelting. The accused also raised anti-India, pro-Pakistan and other secessionist slogans, made inflammatory speeches and advocated armed struggle, NIA said.According to the agency, the violence was part of a larger conspiracy by the Hurriyat leadership to use the funeral procession as a platform to propagate separatist ideology, mobilise public support against the Centre and provoke public disorder while demonstrating the outfit’s organisational strength in Jammu and Kashmir.
