A Pakistani terrorist arrested in Delhi on Monday had been living within the country for 13 years, with forged Indian documents, police said today.
Mohammed Ashraf (40) entered India through Bangladesh on the directions of Pakistan’s ISI and had been living as a part of a cell, Pramod Kushwaha, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Special Cell, told reporters. The module was planning a terror attack during the continued festival season, he said.
After questioning him, police have recovered an AK-47 rifle, 60 rifle rounds, two pistols, 50 rounds and a grenade from the Yamuna Bank area, Mr Kushwaha said.
The special cell operation was monitored by commissioner Rakesh Asthana. “It may be a good catch by the special cell previous the festive season. an enormous terror plan has been foiled by our team,” a report by wire service ANI quoted Mr Asthana as saying.
Police said Ashraf is from Narowal in Pakistan’s Punjab province and had been roped in by ISI right after he passed Class X.
Mr Kushwaha said Ashraf had been involved in several terrorist activities, including in Jammu and Kashmir, and had earlier lived in Ajmer, Kashmir and other cities. In Delhi, police said, Ashraf had lived at Shastri Nagar and Laxmi Nagar. He had haunted the guise of a maulana and was also involved in quackery to cover his identity. Ashraf was arrested from his residence in Laxmi Nagar’s Ramesh Park locality.
A Pakistan-based handler code named Nasir would give tasks to Ashraf and had provided him with weapons, the peace officer said. Ashraf would receive money through hawala transactions, he added.
Ashraf had obtained Indian documents through forgery and had also travelled to Asian nation and Thailand on an Indian passport, police said. He had also married a lady in Ghaziabad but abandoned her later, they added.
Ashraf’s former landlord has said they’re going to cooperate with police within the investigation, in line with a report by ANI.
“He lived here for six months. My father got his Aadhar Card made for documentation. After he left, we weren’t connected with him. If needed, we are going to cooperate with the police,” Uzaib, the previous landlord, said.
Asraf has been booked under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, among others.
The Patiala House Court today remanded Ashraf in police custody for 14 days.
