2 of 8 men arrested by UP on terror charges has Haridwar link: Cop
Bangladesh national Ali Noor and Abdul Talha, who were among those arrested by Uttar Pradesh ATS, stayed in Haridwar using fake identities, police said
DEHRADUN: Two of the eight men arrested by Uttar Pradesh on terror charges have a Haridwar connection and were staying in the district, a senior police officer said, referring to the arrest of eight people by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh for alleged links with terror groups Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
“Those with Haridwar connection included Bangladesh national Ali Noor, alias Jahangir Mandal, alias Inamul Haque, who had been staying in Salempur with the assistance of native resident Mudassir and others. Ali Noor and Mudassir, a resident of Nagla Imarti, and another suspect Kamil, a resident of Deoband, were arrested from UP border in Rupaidiha (Bahraich district) last week,” said UP additional director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar.
The UP ATS alleged seized two mobile phones and a pen drive from Mudassar while two mobile phones were seized from Kamil.
“The suspects were connecting more and more people with radical ideologues to spread jihadi ideology through madarsas and collected terror funds in the name of religious alms,” he said.
Asked for how long the suspects were active in Haridwar, Kumar said it was a matter of investigation.
According to UP ATS’s statement, Abdul Talha, who is alleged to be associated with AQIS and JMB of Bangladesh, also stayed in Salempur in Haridwar. Talha also sent ₹ 80,000 to Haridwar resident Mudassir and ₹ 2,50,000 to Kamil.
“Talha is also wanted by the NIA’s Bhopal unit and the UP ATS has also lodged an FIR against Talha in Lucknow,” said Kumar.
“The suspects were active in Salempur and Jwalapur areas of Haridwar. Before taking shelter in Haridwar, Bangladeshi terrorist Ali Noor had been working as a teacher in a madrasa in Pani Khera Assam’s Goalpara, added the statement.
Talha and Ali Noor used fake identities during their stay in Haridwar, the officials said.
According to UP ATS chief Naveen Arora, the names of eight terrorists came to light during recent nationwide raids of the NIA against PFI.
Senior superintendent of police (STF) Uttarakhand Ajay Singh said the UP ATS sought their cooperation which was provided. Uttarakhand director general of police (DGP) Ashok Kumar made the similar comments.
Last month, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had said that the state government will conduct a survey of the madrasas in the state. Dhami had said, “All kinds of things coming to fore about madrasas from various parts of the state. So, a survey of the madrasas in the state is important. It will make clear the present status of the madrasas in the state”.