Court allows Shopian school, sealed under UAPA, to resume academic activities

A local court on Thursday (September 24, 2026) allowed the resumption of academic activities at a seminary-cum-school, Darul Uloom Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, in south Kashmir’s Shopian, which was sealed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in April this year.

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After hearing the petition filed by the school, Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary, Principal and Sessions Judge, Shopian, issued an order to “allow the reopening and resumption of educational activities till the matter is fully heard”.

The court also ordered the formation of a committee that will include a member from the Ministry of Education, Administration and local civil society to oversee its functioning.

“An interim injunction has been granted pending the decision of the main case. The court has heard the petition and if it deems fit, it can completely stop education in the school with 400 students living on the campus. We have argued that the school has no record of any student, staff or administration being involved in anything,” said advocate SM Iqbal, representing the school.

Mr Iqbal said the move to seal the school and its property in April this year “affected hundreds of students and teachers registered at the school”.

“The court has allowed the students to rejoin classes,” he added.

Considered to be one of the largest in south Kashmir, the seminary’s multi-storied buildings had an enrollment of 814 students with 102 staff members.

In an official order issued by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, while exercising powers under Section 8(1), cited the school’s alleged association with the banned organization Jamaat-e-Islami, financial irregularities and concerns about misuse of the institution’s premises.

Subsequently, District Magistrate Shopian invoked Section 8(4) of the UAPA and prohibited any entry to the notified site. Later, the building was sealed.

Published – 25 Sep 2026 02:00 IST