Kashmir University PhD scholar, Abdul Aala Fazili, was arrested this Sunday by State Investigation Agency (SIA) for a decade old article published in Kashmir based monthly magazine ‘The Kashmir Walla’.

He has been arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his article ‘The shackles of slavery will break’ published on November 6, 2011. SIA termed the article as “highly provocative, seditious and intended to create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir”.

Fazili, 39, is persuing his doctoral studies in pharmaceutical sciences. He was a recipient of the UGC Maulana Azad National Fellowship for five years till March 2021.

He came to limelight during the 2016 street protests when he participated in several television programmes condemning the use of force on civilian protesters. He was called for questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) five years ago.

Kashmir Walla editor, Fahad Shah, is already behind bars under PSA (Public Safety Act) from March 14, 2022.

SIA conducted searches at multiple places including Kashmir Walla’s office, Aala Fazili’s residence at Mainchowk Humhama and at Fahad Shah’s residence in Soura.