KOLKATA: A Pakistan-trained terrorist from the banned Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), wanted by J&K police in connection with the murder of an Islamic cleric in 2011, was arrested late Saturday from Canning in Bengal’s South 24 Parganas.
Weapons handler and IED expert Jawed Munshi had reached Canning, about 60km from Kolkata, two days ago, posing as a shawl seller and planning to slip into neighbouring Bangladesh using a riverine route, Bengal and J&K cops who picked him up in a joint operation said. The cops also confirmed Jawed had been acting under instructions of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Gulshan House, from where Jawed was held, is temporary home to Tabassum Biwi and her husband Golam Mohammad, both from J&K who take this place on rent between Nov and Feb each year to sell Kashmiri shawls. Tabassum said Jawed was her brother-in-law and married her sister 25 years ago. “I have no idea what he does,” she added.
A Kolkata court allowed J&K police to take Jawed on transit remand to the Union Territory, where he is to be charged under UAPA. “Jawed has a history of involvement in terror-related activities, including alleged participation in the 2011 murder of Showkat Ahmad Shah, leader of Ahl-i-Hadith, and has served multiple jail terms,” Bengal police said in a statement. Cleric Shah was killed in 2011 when an IED fitted in a bicycle exploded.
