Two Jaish-e-Mohammed suspects arrested from hostel in UP

The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terror Squad (ATS) arrested two residents of south Kashmir suspected to be operatives of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) from a hostel in Saharanpur district’s Deoband, the police said on Friday.

Shahnawaz Teli of Kulgam and Aqib Ahmad Malik of Pulwama were allegedly trying to recruit members for the Pakistan-based terror outfit that claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy that killed 40 personnel in Pulwama, said OP Singh, the state director general of police.

Singh said the two posed as students, even though they had not taken admission in any Islamic seminary at Deoband. He added that a .32 bore pistol with cartridges was recovered from the two.

On whether the two had links with the Pulwama attack, the DGP said, “It’s difficult to say as of now whether they were staying in Deoband before Pulwama attack or shifted there after the incident.”

Family members of the two men denied that they had any afflation with JeM or militancy. Both families said they came to know about the arrests through the internet. Aqib’s elder brother, Rayees Ahmad, said: “My brother is Hafiz (one who learns and remembers Quran) and had gone for a religious course at Deoband. There is not a single case of militancy or stone-pelting against him.”

Waqar Ahmad, the brother of Teli, said, “My brother has been in UP since 2017. After completing his bachelor in arts, he went for a course in Deoband seminary.” UP ATS suspect Teli to be a grenade expert.

Kulgam senior superintendent of police Gurinderpal Singh said in district police records, Teli was suspected to have links with militancy-related activities.

DGP Singh said the arrests were made after a tip-off from a student of the same locality.

He added that the ATS team found chats, video, and photographs from their mobile phones, indicating their involvement in jihadi activities.

First Published: Feb 22, 2019 23:58 IST