Was working for KJF since Dec 2020
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: A Madrasa teacher was arrested in Kishtwar district today for allegedly passing on information related to security installations to Pakistan-based militants.
He has been identified as Abdul Wahid son of Mohammad Ibrahim Gujjar, a resident of Chergi Dool in Kishtwar district.
Wahid, aged 25 was also performing the duties of a Maulvi (prayer leader). He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure, the officials said.
He was working as Maulvi in Madeenatrul Uloom Darasgah at Dadpeth where he was staying with his wife Fatima and seven months old son Afaan.
Terming his arrest a “major breakthrough”, the officials said initially Military Intelligence gathered information about the presence of a suspect who was passing information across the border.
Wahid came on the radar of different security agencies that worked together to identify and arrest the accused. He was called for questioning last week, they said.
Click here to watch video
During joint questioning by police, Military Intelligence and State Investigation Agency (SIA), Wahid admitted to have been working for lesser-known terror group Kashmir Janbaz Force (KJF) since December 2020 and passing on videos and photos of security installations, the officials said.
Wahid was “inclined towards terrorism” and came in contact with self-styled KJF commander Tayyab Farooqi alias Umar Khatab on social media. He became an active member of the group online, besides offering to be an active terrorist, they said.
He was in regular contact with some unidentified people, possibly Pakistani intelligence operatives who offered him money and new phones for motivating local youths to join terrorism, the officials said.
The Madarsa teacher has been shifted to a safer location for joint questioning by different agencies to ascertain how many secrets he has passed on to the terror operatives in Pakistan.
“It will also be ascertained as to whether more persons were involved with him in passing on information to him which was sent across the border to militants, Pakistani agents and other such elements,” the officials said, adding entire process will take time.
Wahid might have also passed on some sensitive information pertaining to security agencies to his handlers in Pakistan.
Security agencies have seized his mobile phones as also that of his family and certain other devices which might have been used in providing information to the enemy agents.
Sources said he might be shifted to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC).
The SIA is likely to take over his case for investigations.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
