Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday, 9 August conducted simultaneous searches across 26 locations in Sopore as part of an ongoing investigation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) targeting the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JeI J&K). The operation is aimed at gathering evidence and mapping the residual network of the proscribed organisation.

What the Searches Target

According to officials, the coordinated searches are designed to uncover evidence and trace active links of the JeI network still operating in the region. Sopore, a town in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, has historically been a stronghold of separatist activity, making it a focal point for such enforcement actions.

The scale of the operation — 26 simultaneous locations — signals a structured intelligence-led sweep rather than a reactive response, according to reports.

Why JeI Is Banned

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared Jamaat-e-Islami J&K an unlawful association under the UAPA, citing its separatist ideology, alleged terrorist links, and activities deemed a threat to national sovereignty and security. The initial ban followed in the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attack, and the MHA extended the prohibition for a further five years in February 2024.

Founded in the 1950s as a distinct branch influenced by the Islamist teachings of Syed Abul A'la Maududi, JeI J&K ran an extensive network of schools and social welfare programmes while promoting a puritanical religious outlook. The organisation has historically maintained that Kashmir is a disputed territory and boycotted mainstream democratic elections for decades.

Key Figures and Splinter Groups

Among the organisation's founding figures was Maulana Saaduddin Tarabali, who established JeI J&K in 1953 and led it until 1985, participating in the electoral process until separatist violence erupted in the 1990s.

The most prominent and controversial leader associated with the group was Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who contested J&K Assembly elections eight times — winning three and losing five — before breaking away to found the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, which represented a hardline pro-Pakistan position until his death in 2021.

In recent years, a segment of former JeI members moved toward democratic participation, fielding independent candidates in the 2024 J&K Assembly elections. A breakaway faction, the Justice and Development Front (JDF-J&K), was formed by former activists who declared their commitment to working within India's constitutional framework.

Broader Pattern of Enforcement

This is not an isolated action. Security agencies have conducted multiple rounds of searches and detentions linked to the JeI ban since 2019, reflecting a sustained effort to dismantle what authorities describe as the organisation's underground infrastructure in Kashmir. Critics of the ban, however, argue that some affiliated individuals and institutions — including schools — have faced collateral disruption without direct terror links being established.

With the UAPA ban now extended through 2029, enforcement operations such as Sunday's Sopore sweep are expected to continue as investigators work to map and neutralise the network's remaining footprint.