:Srinagar, May 20: Police in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district have denied reports that First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against people who attended the funeral of noted Islamic scholar and former chief of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Ghulam Hassan.
Police authorities said a few individuals were summoned only as part of preventive measures aimed at maintaining peace after slogans were reportedly raised during the funeral procession.
“We have not registered any FIR,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam, Anayat Ali Choudhary, told Greater Kashmir.
He said some “responsible citizens” were called by the police after slogans were allegedly raised during the funeral proceedings.
“On the first day, there were some slogans and we urged them not to breach the peace. This was part of a preventive measure,” the SSP said.
He said police had appealed to people to mourn the scholar’s demise peacefully and avoid raising slogans or making speeches that could create law and order issues.
Police officials maintained that the action was intended solely to preserve public order and prevent any untoward incident, and not to target mourners attending the funeral.
“Calling responsible citizens was a measure to appeal for calm and to ensure that the peaceful funeral did not lead to any untoward incident,” a police official said.
Sheikh Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Tarigam village in Kulgam district, passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness. Regarded as a respected Islamic scholar in Kashmir, he had served twice as Ameer, or chief, of the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir before the organisation was banned.
His death drew widespread condolences from across the Kashmir Valley, with religious, social and political figures paying tribute to his contribution to Islamic scholarship and community affairs.
The Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir was banned by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in February 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for a period of five years. The ban was later extended in 2024.
The Centre had cited the organisation’s alleged links with terror groups, involvement in activities aimed at fomenting terrorism, and promotion of secessionist ideology that undermined India’s sovereignty and integrity.
