New Delhi, Apr 01: An alleged militant of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) carrying a reward of Rs two lakh was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell from Srinagar, officials said on Monday.
Faiyaz Ahmad Lone, a resident of Kupwara, had been evading arrest since 2015 and was carrying a reward of Rs two lakh, they said.
The Delhi Police had earlier in February 4, 2007, arrested four alleged militants of JeM after a brief encounter at Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg in Delhi. They were identified as Shahid Gafoor, resident of Pakistan; Bashir Ahmed Ponnu, Fayaz Ahmed Lone and Abdul Majeed Baba, residents of Jammu and Kashmir, a senior police officer said.
“Three kilograms of explosive, four non-electric detonators, one timer, six hand grenades, one pistol, one magazine with two live cartridges, Rs 50,000 and fake 10,000 US dollars were recovered from their possession.”
During interrogation, it was revealed that they were active members of JeM and had hatched a plan for a big attack in Delhi on the directions of “their mentors based in Pakistan”, police said.
Gafoor also revealed that he had illegally crossed the LoC twice in 1998 and in 2002.
On both the occasions, he was launched into India along with other Pakistan militants through forward Kota, Pakistan–Poonch India sector.
“He remained in Jammu and Kashmir and carried out attack on the camp of Rashtriya Rifles,” police said.
During the trial on August 07, 2013, Gafoor was convicted while Ponnu, Lone and Baba were acquitted.
However, they were later convicted by the Delhi High Court but they did not appear before the court and were evading their arrest since then.
Thereafter, non-bailable warrants were issued against them several times since 2014, they said, adding they were convicted for their involvement in anti-national and terrorist activities.
Later, a reward of Rs 2 lakh was declared on the arrest of each of the absconding accused persons, police said.
According to Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), a team of Delhi Police was sent to J&K to trace Ponnu, Lone and Baba.
They arrested Lone on March 25 from the area of Kothi Bagh in Srinagar and he was brought to Delhi.
Interrogation revealed that Lone started his own shop of electronic items in Kupwara in 2000.
Later, he wound up his business in 2004 and started shawl business at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, along with his uncle, Yadav said.
“He came in contact with Altaf Ahmed Kirmani, a resident of Sopore, Baramulla, in 2005 who was a member of JeM,” he said.
“He lured Lone to become a member of JeM to earn easy money. Lone started working for the organisation and became an active member of JeM,” the DCP added.
