NIA officer murder: Weapon used may be looted from Aligarh constable

According to information received from Aligarh police, intelligence agencies are working on the possibility that the weapon used in the murder of the slain NIA officer, Tanzil Ahmad could have been looted from a GRP constable in Aligarh. The prime accused Muneer had reportedly murdered the constable and fled with his service pistol.

According to information received from Aligarh police, intelligence agencies are working on the possibility that the weapon used in the murder of NIA officer Tanzil Ahmad could have been looted from a GRP constable in Aligarh. The prime accused Muneer had reportedly murdered the constable and fled with his service pistol.

Cops revealed that the investigating officers have found clues that the 9mm pistol (and cartridges) used in the murder of the NIA officer Tanzil Ahmad were taken from a constable.

Cops revealed that the investigating officers have found clues that the 9mm pistol (and cartridges) used in the murder of the NIA officer were taken from a constable stationed at Aligarh railway station in February 2015. At that time, the police failed to arrest Muneer.

It is expected that soon a team of investigating officers will visit Aligarh from Bijnor in connection with Tanzil Ahmad’s murder case. They will be seeking details on the constable’s murder and may also inspect the site of the crime, at the railway station.

In this connection, senior superintendent of police, Aligarh, J Ravinder Gaur told HT, “The information that investigating agencies require about the constable’s murder will be provided to them. Two murder cases are registered in Aligarh against Muneer and he carries a reward of Rs 5000 on him.”

At present, the cops are focusing on destroying Muneer’s network in the city as well as inside Aligarh Muslim University. In addition, they are also exploring Muneer’s association with Rehan (relative of slain NIA officer). Reportedly, they are going through the video of a marriage ceremony that was attended by the two in addition to a few other people now thought to be close to Muneer.

Aligarh SSP, J Ravinder Gaur said, “Muneer is wanted by Aligarh police. Even if he is arrested in any other district, Aligarh police will grill him.”

Muneer has succeeded in evading arrest despite a long criminal record. After the September 2015 murder of Alamgir, a student of Aligarh Muslim University, he was allegedly spotted in the city. According to claims made by some students of AMU, he was reportedly also sighted at the Aligarh industrial and agriculture exhibition (Aligarh Mahotsav) organised in January-February, this year.

Records show that the first case against Muneer, pertaining to unauthorised possession of land, was registered in Bijnor in 2013. However, his name surfaced as hardened criminal on October 19, 2014, when he attempted to murder AMU student, Syed Talha Ali in the busy centre point market. An FIR was registered against him then.

After the murder of Alamgir in 2015, the police made several efforts to nab him but failed. It may be recalled that Alamghir was murdered on 16 September 2015 in AMU campus. An FIR was lodged against Muneer at Civil Lines police station by the victim’s brother, Jahangir. The FIR also named some other accused.