Religious Preacher Sarjan Barkati Arrested, Booked Under PSA

SRINAGAR — Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday arrested Sarjan Barkati, a religious preacher, three days after two other clerics were apprehended under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Barkati’s family members told the media that he was arrested Saturday morning and they were told that he has been booked under the PSA.

Barkati was recently released after four years of detention under the PSA. He was arrested during the uprising following the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July 2016.

Earlier, two other clerics, Mushtaq Ahmad Veeri and Abdul Rashid Dawoodi were booked and arrested under the PSA by police.

Intelligence agencies allege that these preachers have stoked passions against the state and in favour of militancy by trying to motivate youth to resort to violence.

“Speeches delivered by these clerics from time to time stand witness to their anti-India and pro-militant preachings”, said an intelligence officer here. — (IANS)