J&K youth held in Ayodhya, Varanasi put on high alert

LUCKNOW: Varanasi was put on high alert after the Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorist squad (ATS) detained a Kashmiri youth in Ayodhya on Sunday.
During round-the-clock security surveillance in both Ayodhya and Varanasi districts, cyber trackers had first displayed location of the Kashmiri youth on Luxa Road, Varanasi, on Friday night and then in Ayodhya on Saturday night.
Intelligence officials finally tracked him down in Ayodhya and detained him on Sunday. He’s being brought to Lucknow for questioning.
The youth, who was detained near a government school in Ayodhya, hails from Kulgam district of Kashmir. ATS officials, who are probing the purpose of his visit and culling details about his family and friends, refused to disclose his identity for security reasons.
Speaking to TOI, ADG (ATS) Asim Arun said, “Intelligence agencies suspected terror activity and alerted us. The youth has been detained and we are going through his mobile records. If nothing substantial is found, he will be released.”
Another officer of the ATS said that intelligence agencies had alerted them about a Kashmiri mobile number being active in Varanasi and then in Ayodhya. This information led to his detention, he added.
A source privy to the probe said the youth seemed to be a frequent visitor to Varanasi. “His call logs show his movement between Varanasi and Srinagar on three occasions from January,” the source said.