An retired Indian Army soldier was arrested on the suspicion of being an active operative of terror outfit Lashar-e-Taiba (LeT). He was also wanted in connection with a terror module busted by Jammu & Kashmir police last month, said the police.
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The accused, Riyaz Ahmed, was arrested by police at New Delhi Railway Station on Sunday. According to the police, Mr. Ahmed was involved in a recently busted cross-border operation in Kupwara that involved receiving arms and ammunition from across the Line of Control.
The accused, added police, received a shipment of weapons from operatives Khursheed Ahmad Rather and Ghulam Sarwar Rather, who have been arrested by J&K police. The shipment was sent by terrorist handlers Mazoor Ahmad Sheikh and Qazi Mohammad Khushal, based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
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The module, busted on January 27, resulted in the arrest of five people, and the seizure of five short AK rifles, five AK magazines, and 16 short AK rounds.
Police said that the accused, who retired from the Army on January 31, 2023, was returning from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, and was planning to go underground before he was arrested at the railway station.
“On February 2, we received information from investigating agencies in J&K that Riyaz, a resident of Kupwara, would reach the station that day,” an officer said. Subsequently, teams were formed and police deployed at all strategic entry and exit points of the railway station. Riyaz was identified and arrested while trying to exit from the station’s Gate 1, he added.
A mobile phone and SIM card have been recovered from the accused, said officials.
Concerned police officials from J&K police have been informed for further necessary action at their end, DCP (Railways) KPS Malhotra said.