Hardcore separatists, militants being shifted from J&K to outside jails

With prisons in Jammu and Kashmir becoming a potential breeding ground for radicalization, authorities have shifted another 80 prisoners, including separatists, and local and Pakistani militants, from different jails of the Union Territory (UT) to outside jails.

Earlier in March, the administration had shifted 96 prisoners including separatists, militants, and petty criminals detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) to jails outside the UT.

Sources told DH the move to shift these prisoners was taken to stop the radicalization of ordinary criminals, misuse of prisons for spreading militant activities through mobile phones and social media and preventing hardcore militants from staying in touch with the outside world.

The prisoners have been shifted to jails in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi. After a series of civilian killings in targeted attacks in Kashmir since last October, police have detained over 800 people who were either overground workers or had been associated with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the past.

Sources said most of the separatists and militants, including Pakistanis, have been shifted from Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu and prisons from the Valley to Haryana, New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh jails.

“Most of the separatists and militants who were shifted to outside jails are those who radicalize ordinary criminals in the prisons or those who could instigate subversive activities from inside the jails using mobile phones and social media,” they said.

In 2018, an intelligence report revealed that nearly 300 mobile phones were operational within Srinagar Central jail premises which had become a den for the radicalization of youths lodged for petty crimes.

A few months back, intelligence agencies had conducted raids in Kot Bhalwal jail and recovered mobile telephones, SIM cards and other electronic gadgets from the jail which were being used by Pakistani and Kashmiri militants for staying in touch with their colleagues in the Valley and issuing directions from inside.

Though some measures were taken after the dramatic escape of Pakistani terrorist Naveed Jatt, from Central jail Srinagar in February 2018, the sermons on jihad and religious sermons continue in most of the prisons within the UT, a senior officer said.

“Such religious sermons have a deep psychological impact on young inmates who develop an inclination towards joining militancy or getting recruited as overground workers for terrorists,” he added.

Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs had written to State/UT governments seeking adequate measures to prevent misuse of prisons for anti-national activities.

Security agencies have reportedly decided that hardcore militants and criminals will not be allowed to stay in one jail for a long time as they might develop their network even there with the help of criminals lodged in their barracks. They will, therefore, continue to be relocated.