Delhi Police arrest suspected Pakistani terrorist; AK-47 recovered

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a suspected Pakistani terrorist, who was planning to carry out a terror attack during the festival season in the national capital, an official said here on Tuesday.

The suspected terrorist was arrested from the Laxmi Nagar area of the national capital.

According to the official, the suspected Pakistani national, who had obtained fake Indian identity cards through forged documents, has been identified as Mohd Ashraf alias Ali, a resident of Punjab province in Pakistan.

The arrested accused was living as an Indian national by the name of Ali Ahmed Noori, a resident of Shastri Nagar in the national capital.

"At the time of his arrest, the police recovered an AK 47 rifle along with several other arms and ammunition," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, Pramod Kushwaha said.

Apart from AK 47 rifle, two magazines with 60 rounds, one hand grenade, and two pistols with 50 rounds of cartridges were also recovered from his possession.

The suspect has been arrested under relevant sections of the UAPA Act, Explosives Act, and Arms Act, the official said.

Notably, the cops in the national capital were already on high alert due to the festival season. "During the festive season, there is a high footfall of people in the markets, temples, and commercial places. This rush of people can be used by anti-national elements having nefarious designs to carry out terror attacks in such places," a top official had told IANS, recently.

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana had also taken a crime review meeting on Saturday with senior officials and issued directions to enhance their vigil during these days.

In the crime review meeting of the Delhi police chief, it was also discussed how to prevent terrorists or anti-national elements from taking the help of local gangsters.

A senior police official told IANS they had already made strict security arrangements keeping in view the ongoing countrywide celebrations.

Pertinently, this major arrest comes nearly a month after the Special Cell, on September 14, busted a Pakistan-based terror module and arrested seven suspected terrorists, including two people who were trained by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The ISI had trained the two terrorists to blow bridges and railway tracks in order to cause mass casualties in India.

The arrested terrorists were planning to carry out terror attacks in the country during this festival season. All the suspects are currently in police custody.

--IANS

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