Protests in Kashmir University Against NIA’s Summons to PhD Scholar Enter Second Day

Protests continued for the second day on the University of Kashmir campus in Srinagar on Wednesday against the National Investigation Agency (NIA) summons to a PhD scholar, Aala Fazili.

Scores of students raised slogans against the NIA, terming the summons as harassment, as they staged a demonstration outside the Vice Chancellor’s office.

The protesting students dispersed after the VC told them he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the police.

Fazili, a student at the pharmaceutical sciences department, is reportedly being quizzed by the NIA for the past three days. She is being questioned in cases related to student protests in the Kashmir valley and alleged funding to several groups involved in secessionist activities.

The scholar was summoned to NIA headquarters in Delhi, where the agency is also questioning businessman Yasin Khan, who heads a trade body called Kashmir Traders and Marketing Federation (KTMF) in the valley, as well as senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani’s younger son, Naseem Geelani.

The NIA is probing the case of alleged cross-border funding for sparking violence in Kashmir. So far, according to the media, ten people have been arrested by the agency, including Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah, businessman Zahoor Watali and other mid-rung Hurriyat leaders.

Earlier, the NIA had quizzed and subsequently arrested a young photojournalist Kamran Yousuf, which brought the media fraternity in the valley together to demonstrate against the move.

The secessionist groups have said the summons amount to unnecessary and unreasonable targetting of individuals, including family members of Geelani.

The scientific fraternity of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) of Kashmir also issued a statement following the NIA summons to Geelani’s son decrying “arbitrary quizzing”.

Naseem Geelani is a senior scientist with the Forestry faculty in the institution.

So far, those summoned by the NIA from the separatist camp include Altaf Ahmad Shah, Shabir Shah, Shahid-ul-Islam, Nayeem Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saif ullah, Raja Meraj-u-din Kalwal, and other individuals including Dr. Bilqis Shah, Agha Syed Hassan Al Safvi, Senior advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Shah Wali Muhammad, Muhammad Yasin Khan, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Chaudhry Abdul Razaq.