Former militant Liaquat Shah on Sunday alleged that the Delhi Police Special Cell (DPSC) had attempted to kill him in a fake encounter after his arrest on March 20 this year.
They “dragged me out from custody and forced me to board a special police vehicle. They kicked me hard and hid me under the seat. Some officers including Inspectors Sanjay Dutt and Rahul, and Dharmindar sat on me. It was about 11.30 p.m. They drove to a deserted place and stopped their vehicle. Then they loaded their guns. I realised that I was being bumped off,” Liaquat told a group of journalists on his arrival at Dardpora in Kupwara district. However, the police did not open fire, he said. Liaquat was all praise for the national and local media, besides mainstream political leaders like J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and some MLAs, whose efforts forced the Government of India to order “a fair inquiry” by the National Investigation Agency.
“The NIA played a fair role and exposed the drama enacted by the Delhi Police. I am lucky that I am meeting my family members after more than 15 years.”
This is the first time he has returned home since he crossed the Line of Control and settled in PoK in 1997.
Married to two Kashmiri women, besides a Pakistani woman settled at Mansehra, Liaquat reached his home amid emotional scenes. Two of his sons, a physically challenged stepdaughter, both wives and his mother shed tears as the reunion happened in Kupwara.
Liaquat was arrested on March 20 by the DPSC while crossing the Indo-Nepal border at the Sanauli post near Gorakhpur with his wife Akhtar-un-Nissa and a stepdaughter. The DPSC detained him on the charge that he was returning from Pakistan via Kathmandu with the plan of executing fidayeen attacks at some places in New Delhi during the Holi festival in March-end.
In the face of allegations from the family, civil society groups and politicians, including Mr. Abdullah, the Union Home Ministry ordered the NIA probe. He was released on bail last week even as the investigation is yet to be completed.
