J&K Govt Declares Shopian Seminary ‘Unlawful’ Over Alleged JeI Links

SRINAGAR, Apr 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has declared a seminary in Shopian as unlawful under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967, citing alleged links with a banned organization, officials said on Monday.

The order was issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, under Section 8(1) of the Act following a dossier submitted by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Shopian, on March 24.

Authorities said the institution was found involved in “serious legal, administrative and financial irregularities,” including lack of mandatory registration and alleged evasion of statutory oversight.

Officials also cited credible evidence of covert links between the seminary and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), with individuals affiliated to the outfit allegedly holding key administrative and academic roles.

The order further flagged financial opacity, suspected diversion of funds and inputs suggesting the institution fostered an environment conducive to radicalisation, with some former students allegedly linked to militancy.

A show-cause notice was issued to the seminary’s chairman on March 31. After reviewing the response and seeking comments from SSP Shopian, authorities termed the reply “factually untenable and devoid of legal merit,” officials said.

The administration maintained that the action is preventive in nature to curb misuse of the premises for unlawful activities. Following the notification, authorities may initiate further measures, including sealing the premises and freezing financial assets.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has already banned organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami and the Awami Action Committee (AAC). The ban on JeI J&K was extended for five years on February 27, 2024, while AAC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was banned on March 11, 2025. (Agencies)