Saharanpur: UP ATS Arrests Two Suspected Jaish Operatives From Deoband Trying To Recruit Youth For Islamist Outfit

Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday (21 February) busted a terror module of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in a midnight raid in Deoband of Saharanpur district. Seven persons were detained for questioning.

The two men who were arrested hail from Jammu and Kashmir and are in 20-25 years age group and both are allegedly linked to Pakistan based terror outfit JeM.

“Yesterday after inputs two suspected terrorists were caught from Saharanpur by our ATS wing. They are linked to JeM, and both are from Kashmir. Shahnawaz is from Kulgam, and Aqib is from Pulwama. Two weapons and live cartridges seized,” said Director General of Police OP Singh as reported by Hindustan Times.

Shahnawaz and Aqib both were in Deoband to recruit youths for the Islamist outfit JeM, said the police, adding that an “alert student” informed them about some youths staying at Darul Uloom Deoband without taking admission in any course and trying to find recruits for Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The ATS team, with the help of Jammu and Kashmir police raided their rooms and recovered pistols and live cartridges among other articles. Furthermore, the DGP informed that of the two arrested, Shahnawaz is said to be a grenade expert. The ATS recovered video clips and messages from their mobiles, which will be sent for forensic examination.

The Darul Uloom Deoband, founded in 1866, is an Islamic school in Saharanpur where the Deobandi Islamic movement began. The school has been a centre of controversy due to fatwas by its scholars banning photography as un-Islamic, forbidding women to work together with men in public offices, and against Salman Rushdie. In 2007, Andrew Norfolk of The Times called Deobandis a "hardline islamic sect" expressing concern over their rising influence in the British mosques.

On the question whether the arrests are linked to last week’s Pulwama terror attack, DGP Singh said, “This is under investigation. We will give you information when it is over.”

UP Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya said that it was a message to the enemies of the nation that they won’t be able to hide anymore.