For Uttar Pradesh's Ali Murtaza, what was meant to be a pilgrimage to Mecca turned into a nightmare after he was allegedly drawn into an evil plot to recruit him for Jihad in Syria.
Murtaza, a Meerut resident, described his ordeal to the police, which is now investigating the case. A local travel agent who facilitated Murtaza's trip has been arrested.
However, the case has sent shockwaves through his hometown and sparked national concern.
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In a chilling video message shared from Saudi Arabia, Murtaza claimed that he was held hostage by a terror recruitment ring, led by Haji Shahzad, who has been identified as the prime accused.
Shahzad is originally from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur but is now reportedly operating from Saudi Arabia.
The accused allegedly took Murtaza’s passport, confined him to a hotel, and pressured him to join a militant group in Syria, the victim claimed in the video.
How does wishing to visit Mecca turn into a trap?
{{/usCountry}}The accused allegedly took Murtaza’s passport, confined him to a hotel, and pressured him to join a militant group in Syria, the victim claimed in the video.
How does wishing to visit Mecca turn into a trap?
{{/usCountry}}According to a Republic News report, Murtaza departed for Mecca on March 26 via a booking with Abdullah Tour and Travel, a local agency in Kithor.
His family claimed that Murtaza was in regular contact with them until April 2, after which they noticed disturbing changes in his tone and behavior.
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On April 4, during what became his last known phone call with his wife Rukhsar, Murtaza expressed emotional distress and vaguely promised to call again—he never did.
Soon after, his father filed a police complaint in Meerut, leading to the arrest of a local travel agent connected to the case. Authorities are now tracing the broader network behind the operation.
Took my passport, forced to join a terror network?
In the video he posted on Facebook, Murtaza shared that upon reaching Mecca, Shahzad, currently residing in Saudi Arabia, seized his passport and confined him to a hotel.
Murtaza claimed he was pressured to travel to Syria and join a militant group.
He further stated that he was forced to make scripted statements, including references to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), NRC, and perceived injustices against Muslims in India, all allegedly used to manipulate him.
An appeal to PM Modi
In the video, Mutraza made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs for urgent assistance in returning to India.
According to the police, Ali Murtaza has now safely returned home to Meerut after recovering his passport, Republic News reported
Officials have confirmed that an investigation is underway based on the allegations made in the video and the formal complaint.