Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday directed the five zonal superintendents of police in Srinagar to provide minute details of masjids located in their respective jurisdictions.

In a letter to all the zones in Srinagar, the city police chief said, “Please provide details of mosques and their management falling within your respective jurisdictions as per enclosed proforma to this office immediately for onward submission to higher authorities.”

Marked as urgent, the zones were required to submit the information latest by 10 am on 29 July. The required information includes district, details ofjurisdiction, name of the mosque, ideological affiliation, name of the local imam (priest) and the management head.

The letter was sent to SP City of South Zone, Hazratbal Zone, North Zone, East Zone and West Zone Srinagar. Reports said that a similar drive has been started across the Valley.

The latest order comes days after the Center decided to move an additional 100 companies of central paramilitary police forces (CAPFs) to Jammu and Kashmir and an alarm sounded by the Railways police over “likely deterioration in the law and order situation in the state.”

The latest order, which is being widely circulated on social media, has added to the speculation that the Centre might have plans to abrogate Article 35A.

However, City Police chief Haseeb Mughal termed it is an exercise only to update the basic beat book of the police stations. “This exercise is done periodically,” he said.