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On terror trail, NIA raids Banda’s Jamia Arabia seminary
The National Investigation Agency raided the Jamia Arabia seminary, in Hathaura of Banda district, as a part of its ongoing investigation in a terror-related case.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday raided the Jamia Arabia seminary, in Hathaura of Banda district, as a part of its ongoing investigation in a terror-related case.
“They (NIA) have some inputs. They asked us to provide police personnel for their operation in Hathaura,” said Banda superintendent of police (SP) Shalini (she goes by one name). The agency sleuths were accompanied by local police personnel.
Jamia Arabia, with nearly 15,000 students, is one of the leading seminaries of the state that was established in 1952.
Sources said the raid caused anger among the students, who held a protest. The sources added that NIA was developing information about some people who have studied at the seminary.
“The NIA is conducting investigation into a terror ring, which it had cracked in December 2017 and arrested a seminary student Tauseef Malik in Kashmir,” the sources said. Tauseef was a third year student at the seminary and lived in its Darul Taleem hostel, said the sources.
The agency sleuths searched Tauseef’s hostel room and took his records into their possession. They were also looking for details of two other persons close to Tauseef. The team spent several hours screening documents and also spoke to Tauseef’s roommates, some Kashmiri students and the hostel warden, said the sources.
“The team is gathering details about two of his accomplices; they reportedly were also students of the seminary,” the sources said, adding that the seminary administration cooperated fully with the team and made all records that were sought available.
