Two JeM terrorists held by Delhi Police days ahead of Republic Day

Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists who were planning to strike at vital locations in the National Capital have been arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell couple of days ahead of the Republic Day, police said on Thursday. The grenades which have been recovered from the accused were of the same make as the ones used against the security forces in the valley.

The first arrest was made by the police in Delhi in the intervening night on January 20 from North Delhi’s Rajghat area where Abdul Latif Ganai was coming to meet an associate. Latif is also the District Commander of JeM in Ganderbal (Jammu & Kashmir). The accused were planning to carry out attacks in the National Capital to get a larger impact. ISI-backed JeM had sent these suspects to recee prominent locations including India Gate, Rajpath, Jama Masjid, and Delhi-6 areas, among others.

“Two hand grenades, semi-automatic pistol and 26 live cartridges have been recovered from Latif. The terrorists had procured more than a dozen grenades and IEDs from a Pakistan-based handler,” said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell. The arrested accused were planning to throw grenades and plant IEDs in the heavy footfall areas and vital locations in the Capital during the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

Investigating officials revealed that Latif was the mastermind of the series of attacks in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir including Srinagar, and Sumbal in Bandipora, among others. The arrested duo was in the advanced stage of carrying out terror strikes in Delhi.  

Latif was arrested after an input from military intelligence stated that suspicious people were seen moving in and around a house in East Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar.