Authorities arrested veteran Separatist Leader Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi on Monday in connection with a violent incident that occurred nearly three decades ago in Srinagar. The case revolves around a July 1996 procession that turned into a full-scale confrontation with security forces at Naaz Crossing, marking one of the turbulent episodes during the height of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bakshi, a prominent figure in the Hurriyat Conference, stands accused of instigating a large crowd that was carrying the body of slain terrorist Hilal Ahmad Beigh. According to the First Information Report, the procession quickly spiralled into chaos as participants engaged in stone-pelting, raised anti-national slogans, and opened fire on police personnel attempting to maintain order. The then Station House Officer of Shergarhi police station faced direct aggression while trying to disperse the mob.

The FIR names several high-profile separatist leaders, including the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Gani Lone, and Mohammad Yaqoob Wakeel, alongside Shabir Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, and Javid Ahmad Mir. While Geelani, Lone, and Wakeel have since passed away, and Shah and Khan remain incarcerated in Tihar Jail under separate NIA investigations, Bakshi’s arrest now revives a case that had remained dormant for 29 years. Authorities continue to search for the remaining accused, Javid Ahmad Mir.

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The charges against the group include serious offences under the Ranbir Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Arms Act, reflecting the gravity of the allegations involving incitement and armed confrontation with state forces. Legal experts suggest that Bakshi’s detention could provide crucial testimony and evidence required to bring the long-pending case to its conclusion.

With formal proceedings set to resume after completion of arrest formalities, the development has sent ripples across political circles in Kashmir, underscoring the enduring pursuit of accountability for incidents that shaped the region’s troubled history during the 1990s insurgency.

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