Afghan man who stayed in Nagpur for 10 years might have joined Taliban, say cops

Noor was in blanket business when he was staying in India. Nagpur Police did not find anything suspicious but his social media activities were reportedly pro-Taliban. He was deported to Afghanistan in June this year.

Afghan man Noor Mohammad who had stayed in Nagpur illegally for 10 years before being deported to his country in June this year might have joined the Taliban, a senior police official of Nagpur has told news agency PTI. A photo of the man carrying an assault rifle has surfaced on social media following which such speculations have been rife. The possibility is not ruled out, police said but have not confirmed whether the image that is being circulated after the fall of Kabul on August 15 is that of Noor Mohammad. The photo reached the police through his friends in Nagpur, who are claiming that the man in the photograph is Noor.

Taliban fighters patrolling in Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday. (AP)

"The man, Noor Mohammad Ajiz Mohammad, 30, was found staying in Nagpur for the last 10 years illegally. He was living in a rented place in the Dighori area of the city. Acting on a tip-off, the police had started keeping a watch on his activities. He was finally nabbed and deported to Afghanistan on June 23," the official said.

'Seems nothing has changed..': Captain Devi Sharan remembers Kandahar hijack

This photo is being shared on social media and has also reached Nagpur Police. While the police did not confirm that this is Noor Mohammad who stayed in Nagpur from 2010 to 2020, they have not ruled out the possibility of Noor joining the Taliban. (Photo: Twitter)

Reports said the man had come to India in 2010 on a six-month tourist visa and was staying in Nagpur. After his visa expired, he applied to the United Nations Human Rights Council seeking refugee status, but his application was rejected. Since then, he has stayed in Nagpur illegally.

In Nagpur Police's earlier probe, it was revealed that Noor Mohammad's original name is Abdul Haque and his brother was working with the Taliban. He was active on social media and had posted a photo carrying a sharp-edged weapon. The account that he used to handle was following some terrorists, police claimed. Police said deporting him was a better option as registering an offence against him would have prolonged his stay in India.

After he was nabbed, police found "entry and exit wounds" from a gunshot near Noor's left shoulder. "He was in the business of selling blankets and was unmarried. Police conducted searches at his rented accommodation, but did not find anything suspicious," the senior official said.

(With PTI Inputs)