JK Police unearths separatist network operating from a jail

20 cell phones recovered

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday unearthed a separatist network operating inside a jail in Baramulla district by recovering 20 cell phones from the inmates during a night raid.

Sources said police raided the jail after a tip off that some mobile phones were being operated from inside the jail premises, instigating unrest in the Valley. They said some hardcore militants and separatist prisoners used the cell phones to keep in touch with their handlers in Pakistan via WhatsApp to help create unrest in the state.

The recoveries were made from prisoners who were involved in stone pelting and militant activities, sources said, and added the recovered phones were being sent for forensic tests to gather details about the purpose they were being used for.

A police spokesperson while confirming the recoveries said that a joint search was conducted during the intervening night of August 22 and 23 in Sub Jail Baramulla on the basis of information that "some incriminating material including unauthorized cell phones are being used inside the jail premises."

"While conducting the search 20 cell phones and some incriminating material was recovered from the possession of jail inmates," he said and added an FIR has been registered and investigation is on as to how these articles which are not authorized as per jail manual have made entry into jail premises.

"Police is as well investigating the role of jail staff if any as earlier as well cell phones and other articles were recovered from jail in various search operations by police in the same jail," the spokesperson added.
Earlier on April 2, police had unearthed a similar network in the same jail by seizing 16 cell phones. Two of the cellphones seized then belonged to hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam, the man allegedly behind the 2010 civilian unrest in Kashmir. He was released by the PDP government in 2015 and subsequently led a pro-Pakistan rally in Srinagar, causing a major political controversy. He was rearrested after pressure from central Government a month later.