The National Investigation Agency's (NIA) crackdown on Kashmiri separatists has revealed that terror funding activities in the state are being conducted through the popular social media platform WhatsApp

Seven separatists are already under arrest on charges that they took money from Pakistan to fuel unrest in the Valley.

According to the Times of India, the NIA has found out that there are at least 28 WhatsApp such groups with Pakistan-based creators, administrators and members, including cadres of the terrorist outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Pakistani creators and administrators

NIA sources told the English daily that while a majority of the members of these WhatsApp groups are local Kashmiris, a significant portion of the others hold Pakistani mobile numbers.

It also said that many of these groups were either created by a Pakistani or had Pakistan-based administrators.

"We have identified Pakistani numbers in the WhatsApp groups. Some of these numbers also show up in JuD posters and publicity material, confirming JuD link to the J&K youth who regularly pelt stones to disrupt ongoing anti-terror operations, allegedly on payment arranged by Hurriyat separatists," an investigator was quoted as saying by the TOI.

What are these groups used for?

The NIA has said that the 28 WhatsApp groups shared religious posts, terror-inciting material, updates on Jammu and Kashmir militancy and other ongoing anti-terror operations.

The agency has also traced messages meant for stone-pelters that share details of encounters between terrorists and security forces in the Valley and the locations of these encounters.

"The idea is to mobilise the local youth for stone-pelting at the encounter site so terrorists can escape," said an NIA officer.

Till now, the NIA has zeroed in on 48 Kashmiri youth who were involved in three such encounter sites. The call details of these 48 people have further shed light on the involvement of local and middle-level Hurriyat leaders in such activities.

Further analysis of their social media activities revealed they were in touch with other terrorist leaders.

The NIA has said that it is zeroing down on these stone-pelters, and that it will soon be able to bring some top Hurriyat leaders under its scanner.