The Delhi Police Special Cell have arrested a 40-year-old wanted terrorist of banned terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) from Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The terrorist was wanted in hatching a conspiracy to mount attack in Delhi on the directions of their mentors based in Pakistan which was nipped in the bud by the Delhi Police in 2007. After the court issued Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against the accused the Delhi Police has also announced Rs 2 lakh on his head.
The terrorist identified as Fayaz Ahmad Lone, is a resident of village Marhama, in Jammu & Kashmir district Kupwara was arrested on Friday by a team of Special cell that had gone to Srinagar after it got information about his movements.
The accused along with other three terrorists identified as Shahid Gafoor, resident of Pakistan, Bashir Ahmed Ponnu and Abdul Majeed Baba, residents of Jammu & Kashmir were earlier arrested by Delhi Police on February 4, 2007 after a brief encounter at Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg in Delhi.
Police had also recovered three kilogram (kg) explosive material, four non-electric detonators, one timer, six hand grenades, one star make pistol of .30 bore, one magazine with two live cartridges, Indian currency of Rs 50,000 and fake US $10,000 in their possession.
During interrogation, it was revealed that they were active members of JeM and had hatched a plan to launch a big attack in Delhi on the directions of their mentors based in Pakistan. “Gafoor also revealed that he had illegally crossed the Line of Control (LoC) twice in 1998 and in 2002. On both the occasions, he was launched into India along with other Pakistan terrorists through forward Kota, Pakistan-Poonch India sector.
He remained in Jammu & Kashmir and carried out attack on the camp of Rashtriya Rifles,” said the senior police official. During the trial on August 7, 2013, Gafoor was convicted while Ponnu, Lone and Baba were acquitted. However, they were later convicted by the Delhi High Court but they did not appear before the court and were evading their arrest since then. Thereafter, non-bailable warrants were issued against them several times since 2014. They were convicted for their involvement in anti-national and terrorist activities.
Later, a reward of Rs 2 lakh was declared on the arrest of each of the absconding accused persons.
According to Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell, a police team was sent to J&K to trace the all three wanted JeM terrorists. “Specific inputs were received about Fayyaz Lone and acting on the tip off, he was arrested from the area of Kothi Bagh in Srinagar. After a court granted his transit remand, Lone was brought to Delhi and was produced before the Delhi High Court. He was then lodged in Tihar Central jail,” said the DCP.
“During interrogation the accused revealed that he joined JeM to earn quick money. He started working upon the directions of local JeM commanders like Haider alias Doctor and soon became an active member of JeM. He had been in regular touch with top JeM commanders and members based in Pakistan, J&K and neighboring areas,” said the DCP.