Lashkar terrorist nabbed from New Delhi railway station: Police

Investigating agencies in J&K on January 27 busted a terror module, arresting five people and seizing arms and ammunition

The Delhi Police on Tuesday announced that they have arrested a 40-year-old man who is allegedly a member of the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Officers said Riyaz Ahmed, a resident of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, was apprehended from the New Delhi Railway Station on February 4.

Riyaz Ahmed was travelling to a hideout. (HT)

Deputy commissioner of police (Railways) KPS Malhotra said Ahmed retired from the Indian Army in January 2023. He said the suspect was wanted as a part of the terror module busted by the J&K Police for smuggling arms and ammunition from across the border.

Giving details of the case, Malhotra said that investigating agencies in J&K on January 27 busted a terror module, arresting five people and seizing arms and ammunition. “The arms and ammunition were sent by Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)-based LeT terrorist handlers Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh (who resides in Gabra Karnah) and Qazi Mohammad Khushal (who resides in Dhanni Karnah),” the DCP said.

Malhotra said that the Delhi Police was informed that Ahmad was absconding and would reach the New Delhi Railway Station in the early hours of Sunday. Acting on the information, he said, a police team was constituted and deployed at all entry, exit and strategic points of the station.

Subsequently, the officer said, Ahmad was apprehended while trying to exit from Gate number 1. Police recovered a mobile phone and a SIM card from his possession.

“The accused was subjected to intensive interrogation and it was revealed that he and his friend Altaf had boarded Mahakaushal Express from Jabalpur and reached Hazarat Nizamuddin Railway Station around 3pm on Saturday. From there, they took an auto rickshaw and reached New Delhi Railway Station. Ahmad was about to go to some other hideout,” Malhotra said.

An officer aware of the matter said that the Altaf was not found involved in the module, therefore, he was let go. “Ahmad was in Jabalpur because their unit’s office is in Jabalpur,” the officer said, on condition of anonymity.