Man linked to JeM, Tehreek-e-Taliban held in UP; plot to kill Nupur Sharma averted

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Saharanpur, Aug 13, 2022: Ahead of Independence Day, police claimed to have busted a major terror plot on Friday as it arrested an alleged operative of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Tehreek-e-Taliban from western Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur. The accused was tasked with carrying out a ‘fidayeen’ attack on suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, police added.

 

The accused was identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Nadeem from Kunda Kala village under Gangoh police station area in Saharanpur district. He was arrested by the state anti-terrorism squad.

According to police, Nadeem had been tasked with killing Sharma, who was recently involved in a controversy for making derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed.

Police said Nadeem had links to terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammad and Tehreek-e-Taliban. He had been in constant touch with operatives based out of Pakistan since 2018, police added.

Police further said Nadeem used different social media platforms to connect with his handlers, who had tasked him with killing Sharma. Uttar Pradesh additional director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar said police recovered chats and voice messages from Nadeem’s phone and these messages were traced to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Kumar said two SIM cards and literature on preparing various kinds bombs were also recovered from him. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at ATS police station in Lucknow, he added.

According to the ADGP, during interrogation, Nadeem told police he was in direct contact with JeM since 2018 and that the outfit had invited him over to Pakistan and Syria for special training. He had been waiting for a visa, he added.