Srinagar, Advocate Zahid Ali, the spokesperson for Jamaat-e-Islami in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, was re-arrested by local authorities under charges including conspiracy and rioting. This development comes amidst heightened tensions surrounding the refusal of some local political figures to endorse the ongoing Indian parliamentary elections.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Zahid Ali, a resident of Nihama Pulwama, was initially detained on allegations related to arson and disturbances at Srinagar Central Jail in 2019. After his release from a protracted detention, he was taken into custody again recently. Observers suggest that his re-arrest may be linked to his non-cooperation with the Indian electoral process, reflecting ongoing conflicts over political autonomy and the legitimacy of Indian governance in the region.
The circumstances of Ali’s re-arrest have ignited concerns about the treatment of political dissenters in Kashmir, signaling continuing unrest in the area over electoral and governance issues.