The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against six senior leaders of the separatist Hurriyat Conference in the case of mob violence and indiscriminate firing on policemen in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir in 1996. In this charge sheet filed in the special court of NIA in Jammu on Friday, Kashmiri separatist leaders Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Ghani Lone, Mohd. The names of Yakub Vakil, Javed Ahmed Mir and Shakeel Ahmed Bakshi are included.
All these six people have been accused of criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder, rioting and attacking government employees. Besides, charges have also been framed against him under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. Although Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Ghani Lone and Mohd. The charges against Yakub Vakil are now considered to be over as he died during the legal proceedings, but the charge sheet clearly states his role in the criminal conspiracy and the common objective of the unlawful assembly along with the evidence.
Violence broke out during the funeral procession of a terrorist
During investigation, NIA found that all the six accused had led an unlawful mob and instigated large-scale violence against police personnel during the funeral procession of slain terrorist Hilal Ahmed Beg at Naz Crossing, Srinagar on July 17, 1996. After this, armed terrorists joined the procession, which was led by the accused Hurriyat leaders. During the violence, terrorists fired indiscriminately on policemen, in which many police officers were injured.
During this period, there was heavy stone pelting, in which government vehicles were also badly damaged. The NIA investigation has revealed that the Hurriyat leaders against whom the chargesheet has been filed had played an active role in inciting violence by raising anti-India, pro-Pakistan and separatist slogans. The NIA also found out that he had given inflammatory speeches supporting the armed struggle.
FIR was registered in Shergarhi police station
The NIA investigation made it clear that the mob violence was part of a larger and pre-planned criminal conspiracy by the Hurriyat leadership. The objective of this conspiracy was to use the funeral procession to spread separatist ideology, mobilize public support against the Government of India, disturb public order and incite violence against law enforcement agencies and also to demonstrate the strength of Hurriyat in Jammu and Kashmir. In this case, FIR was registered at Shergarhi Police Station in Srinagar on the same day of violence. On the instructions of the Union Home Ministry, NIA took over the investigation of this case in April 2026.
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