The Delhi Police arrested four suspected terrorists from Roorkee in Haridwar district late last night. One of them, Mohammed Mehraj, alias Monu, is a second-year student of BAMS at Rishikul Ayurvedic College, Haridwar.
The four are believed to have provided information to terrorists on the security arrangements at Ardh Kumbh mela through the internet. The police seized laptops, cellphones and other equipment from the suspects. All four had reportedly undertaken a recce of Har-ki-Pauri, the Haridwar railway station and bus station, important government buildings and bridges and also the Roorkee railway station and the cantonment area.
A special team of the Delhi Police, comprising Inspectors Lalit Mohan Negi and Hriday Bhushan and Sub-Inspectors Bhushan Azad, Sukhveer Singh and Ravindra Joshi, arrested the suspects following intelligence inputs from central agencies. The Delhi team was assisted by SI Mohammed Yasin from the Uttarakhand Police and Pradeep Rawat from the Special Operations Group.
Akhlakur Rehman, Osama Mohammed, Mohammed Ajumusshan Bahari Killa and Mohammed Mehroj, all from Manglaur in Haridwar district, are in the age group of 20-26 years. They are being questioned on their possible links with the masterminds of the Pathankot airbase attack as well as the Islamic State (IS).
Inspector General of Police, Ardh Kumbh force, Ganesh Singh Martolia said security had been increased at Ardh Kumbh. Haridwar SSP D Senthil Abudai Krishan Raj said security throughout the district had been beefed up.
“Besides frisking at police checks, we are keeping a watch on dharamshalas, hotels, ashrams and guesthouses,” he said.
