Srinagar, Aug 27 (Reporter) Jailed religious cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay aka Sarjan Barkati on Tuesday filed nomination papers as Independent Candidate from Zainapora Shopian constituency through his daughter for the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2016 unrest in Kashmir, triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, Barkati, a resident of Zainpora Shopian, had coined and popularized many slogans. Barkati was booked under Public Safety Act for organising anti-government rallies. He remained in custody for over four years. Last year, Jammu and Kashmir’s Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) arrested Barkati in a terror funding case. In November last year, the SIA also arrested Shabroza Bano, the wife of Barkati, in a case related to alleged terror funding. Barkati’s daughter said that her family has already held a meeting with the locals who have assured all their support in the Assembly election. “ We have faced a lot of hardship. Our mother used to take care of us when our Baba (father) was arrested. But now we have none. I am hopeful that the people from here (Zainpora) and Kashmir will help in securing release of my parents ,” the daughter told reporters. Barkati filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate, she said. Barkati is the second jailed leader who is contesting the polls in J&K. Abdul Rashid Sheikh aka Engineer Rashid, contested from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat earlier this year and won the polls by defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Lone. Zainpora along with 24 seats in J&K would go to polls in the first phase on September 18...////...