JeM terrorist arrested by Delhi police

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 14

The special cell of the Delhi Police has arrested a wanted terrorist of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Abdul Majid Baba, a resident of Sopore, said the DCP (special cell) Sanjeev Yadav.

In 2007, the Delhi Police special cell had apprehended four terrorists of the JeM, Shahid Gafoor, a resident of Sialkot, Pakistan, Bashir Ahmed Ponnu, Fayaz Ahmed Lone and Abdul Majid Baba, all residents of Jammu and Kasmir, after a brief encounter at Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg, Delhi.

Highly explosive material, weighing 3 kg, four detonators, a timer, six hand grenades, a .30 bore pistol, a magazine with two live cartridges, currency worth Rs 50,000 and fake US currency ($10,000) were recovered from their possession, the DCP said.

During interrogation, they revealed that they were active members of the JeM and, along with Haider, a resident of Pakistan (district commander Sopore of the JeM), and others, had hatched a conspiracy of a big terrorist attack in Delhi on the directions of their mentors based Pakistan.

Accused Shahid Gafoor revealed that he had illegally crossed over to India twice in 1998 and 2002. On both occasions, he was launched into India along with other Pakistan militants through forward Kota, Pakistan-Poonch, India sector. He remained in J&K and carried out the ghastly attack on the Rashtriya Rifles camp, he said.

In 2013, a court convicted Shahid Gafoor and acquitted Bashir Ahmed Ponnu, Fayyaz Ahmed Lone and Abdul Majid Baba. On appeal against their acquittal, the High Court of Delhi convicted all three terrorists, the DCP said.

After being convicted, accused Bashir Ahmed Ponnu, Fayaz Ahmed Lone and Abdul Majid Baba did not surrender before the High Court of Delhi and evaded their arrest. Non-bailable warrants were issued against them several times since 2014, but none turned up. A reward of Rs 2 lakh was declared by the Delhi Police upon the arrest of each of the absconding three accused persons, he said.

On March 25, one of the three accused Fayaz Ahmad Lone was arrested by this team of the special cell in Srinagar. After the arrest of accused Fayyaz, efforts continued to arrest the two other terrorists, the officer said.

With the arrest of Fayyaz Ahmad Lone, accused Abdul Majid Baba got extra conscious and started continuously changing his hideouts to dodge the police net.

Finally, on May 11, inputs were received that accused Majid would visit the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in the Soura area of Srinagar.

Following this, a trap was laid near SKIMS where the luck of the accused finally ran out and he was arrested. He has been brought to Delhi on transit remand for legal proceedings. Further investigation is on in the matter, added the DCP (cell).