Express News Service
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) ultra who was planning major strike on Ganesh Chaturthi in Kanpur.
Qamar-uz-Zama, 37, alias Dr Huraira alias Kamruddina, a native of Assam, was arrested from Kanpur's Shivnagar locality under the Chakeri police station area.
Sharing the operation details, UP Police chief OP Singh said the UP ATS had been tracking Qamar in coordination with the National Investigation Agency for the last 8-10 days. The DGP claimed Qamar admitted to have plans to strike on Ganesh Chaturthi but did not give out further details.
According to the DGP, it appeared from the mobile phone recovered from the terrorist that he was sent to Kanpur by his handlers for carrying out a recce. A video found from his phone show the roads approaching a temple and a few other localities in Kanpur. "He was active on social media and had posted one of his pictures with an AK-47 in April, after which he came on our radar," the DGP said.
In the photo, Qamar, who is from Jamunamukh in Assam's Nagaon district, is seen holding an automatic rifle. A caption reads, "Org: Hizbul Mujahideen; Name: Qamer Uzzaman; S/O Ibrahim Zaman; R/O: Assam India; Code: Dr Hurairah; Qul: MA English."
"The terrorist had undergone training in Pakistan in 2017 and had joined Hizbul there. He stayed abroad between 2008 and 2012."
The DGP said Qamar had a diploma in computer and typing but had failed in BA third-year. He stated the ultra had gone to Pakistan for training in 2017. "Other than his links and source of funding, we are trying to find out why he has been residing in Kanpur and for how long."
Singh informed the media that the arrested terrorist was trained by Hizbul handlers in April 2017 in the thickets and hilly terrain of Kishtwar.
The ATS is now trying to know from Qamar bout the duration of his stay in Uttar Pradesh, if he had more accomplices, what were his other targets and where did he get funds from. Notably, the UP ATS in March had arrested 10 people, who, it claimed, were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
