Following the arrest of four youths linked with terrorist activities, the security has been tightened in Haridwar city, especially in the highly sensitive mela zone. Intelligence and police teams were monitoring the activities of all these suspects for the past one week based on the information received from secret intelligence agencies. Subsequently in a joint operation of Delhi Police and Haridwar Police, they were arrested from Roorkee area on Tuesday night. The accused were presented before the City Magistrate in Delhi on Wednesday and the interrogation was on till the time the report was filed. All of the accused happen to be the students studying in various institutions located across the district.
On Tuesday night, a team of Delhi special police cell along with the assistance of Haridwar Police raided Roorkee and Manglore areas of the district and arrested four suspected terrorists who were allegedly in constant touch with some international terrorist outfit for the past three months. They had allegedly shared some information of important places of the city for money.
In a press release issued by the Haridwar Police, the accused have been identified as Akhlak-Ur-Rahman, a student of Polytechnic College Roorkee, Mohammad Mehraz, a second year BAMS student in Rishikul Ayurvedic College of Haridwar while the other two Mohammad Azimussan and Osama Mohammad are students of BA in Roorkee College. All of these are residents of Roorkee, landhaura and Manglore areas of Haridwar district.
Speaking to The Pioneer, senior superintendent of police Santhil Abudai Krishn Raj said “Four youths have been arrested in a joint operation of Delhi Special Cell and Haridwar Police. Delhi police took along with them all the accused for interrogation. We have learnt that they would be taken to the places in Delhi where their activities are rampant. Delhi Police had picked up a student of Rishikul Ayurvedic College and seized his laptop on 18 January.” Asked if Ardh Kumbh mela was on the target of these suspects, SSP said, “We are not supposed to share things at this juncturre. However, security has been tightened at all the sensitive points by way of precautionary measures.”
Case has been registered against all the accused under Unlawful Activities Act and Criminal Conspiracy of Indian Penal Code, added the SSP. All these suspects were studying in one or the other college in the district and had connected themselves with suspected groups through Facebook and other social media websites. It is alleged that they also got some money for sharing the important information. Mobiles and laptop have been recovered from their possession too, said the SSP.
While the director of Ayurvedic College, Professor Aditya Narayan refused to comment on the accused from his college, associate professor in Rishikul Ayurved College, Naresh Chauhan told The Pioneer that Mehraz had joined the college in 2014 through pre -medical test. “Due to shortage in attendance, he could not have cleared his first year exam. He was studying in second year now and was good at sports and other activities. We could never think that he could be involved in any terrorist activity,” said Naresh.
Speaking to The Pioneer, IG Ardh Kumbh Mela G S Martolia said, “We have tightened the security at all public places in the district. Besides, we are screening all the temples and markets of Haridwar. We have deployed dog squads and bomb disposal units and we are checking every vehicle coming to the city.” Security has been beefed up at all the important places, including Har ki Pauri, Mansa Devi Temple, Chandi Devi Temple, bus stand, Railway station and all the public places, added the Mela IG.