The Kashmir Dialogues
Srinagar, March 18 : In a decisive move against online radicalization, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) has successfully apprehended a radical social media user from Shalimar in Srinagar, reaffirming its commitment to curbing extremist propaganda in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to an official statement, CIK, acting on credible intelligence and rigorous social media surveillance, identified and arrested Showkat Ahmad Dar, son of Ghulam Ahmad Dar, a resident of Doodh Mohalla, Shalimar. Showkat was operating a Facebook handle, ‘Shaddy Kashmir Dryfruits’, which was being misused to disseminate extremist content aimed at disturbing public peace and order.
Upon receiving actionable inputs regarding his online activities, security agencies swiftly launched an investigation, tracking the suspect despite his frequent change of locations. A well-coordinated strategy led to his arrest along with his digital devices. A preliminary examination of the seized devices confirmed access to the radical Facebook account and the possession of incriminating material, including propaganda videos glorifying terrorism, particularly one featuring slain terrorist commander Zakir Musa.
Authorities revealed that Showkat Ahmad Dar has a history of radical activities. He was previously arrested in 2019 by Harwan Police Station for stone-pelting incidents and later detained in 2022 by Cyber Police Station Srinagar for spreading online extremist content.
This crackdown is part of a broader effort by security and intelligence agencies in J&K, in coordination with social media monitoring units, to dismantle radical modules and prevent online extremist influences from reaching vulnerable youth.
With this latest arrest, CIK has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to safeguarding public peace and countering digital radicalization. Investigations are ongoing to uncover any potential associates, and further legal action will be taken as per the law.
Sheikh Sameer
