Terrorist ‘informer’ linked to Jammu and Kashmir cop's death held at IGIA

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s special cell has arrested a Kashmiri man from IGI airport on Tuesday for allegedly supplying information about the movements of a J&K cop, who was abducted by terrorists while on his way from Srinagar to Pulwama and killed in October this year. The man, now under arrest, had arrived from Bangalore and was heading for Srinagar, DCP (special cell) Pramod Kushwaha said.

The accused, 28-year-old Ansar Ul Haqe, was a postgraduate in English literature and a member of Hizbul Mujahideen, police claimed. Ansar and his girlfriend Syed Saika had allegedly tipped off the terrorists about the movements of sub-inspector Imtiyaz Ali. Saika was friends with SI Imtiyaz, police said.

“In October, Ansar was allegedly directed by Hizbul area commander Zahur Thokar to provide movement details of SI Imtiyaz of the CID Branch of J&K Police. A Pulwama resident, Imtiyaz was posted in Srinagar,” Kushwaha said. Saika, also a resident of Pulwama, contacted Imtiyaz and got to know that he was going home on October 28. She fixed a meeting with him on that day in Srinagar.

“Imtiyaz’s village Tikan had a WhatsApp group called Tikan XI. Both Imtiyaz and Ansar were members of this group. In September, a warning was posted on the group by one Nisar, saying all SPOs and cops should leave the force otherwise they would be killed. From Tikan, there were four, including Imtiyaz, who had joined the force,” a police officer said.

Despite knowing about the threat, Imtiyaz had decided to go home. On October 28, Ansar directed Saika to bring Imtiyaz towards Pulwama. She met Imtiyaz and requested him to take her along since both were going to Pulwama. During the journey, she passed on the details of the cop’s car to Ansar, who was following the car while coordinating with the strike group. After they crossed Karimabad area, terrorists intercepted his car and shot him dead. Delhi Police have informed about the arrest to their counterparts in Kashmir, who will take custody of Ansar on Wednesday.