Arrested terrorists from Sarai Kale Khan belong to JeM: Delhi Police

Nov 17, 2020

New Delhi [India], November 17 : Two Jammu and Kashmir based terrorists-- Abdul Latif Mir (22) and Mohd Asraf Khatana (20)--who were arrested by the Delhi Police anti-terror wing Special cell near Sarai Kale Khan in the national capital belong to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), police said on Tuesday.
According to Delhi police, both the terrorists are highly radicalised and had planned to cross border to Pakistan for training.
"Arrested terrorist, on various times, had tried to cross border from Kupwara, Hyma, Keran Sector of Jammu and Kashmir, but failed due to tight vigil at Line Of Control (LOC)," police said in a statement.
A specific input was received by SWR/Special Cell, Delhi Police that a particular group of newly recruited Terrorist of Jaish-E-Mohammed would be coming to Delhi for their onward journey to UP for imparting basic training, Delhi police said.
"Manual surveillances were mounted through various sources and information was further developed. Said input was developed through sources and physical surveillance was mounted in which movements of these operatives were closely and discreetly monitored. A specific information was received by Inspector Man Singh on November 16 that Abdul Latif Mir and Mohd Asraf Khatana would come near Sarai Kale Khan and then go to Nizamuddin Area and would stay for a short period in Delhi for their onward journey to UP for the purpose of training and were nabbed in the late hours of the intervening night of November 16 and November 17 near Sarai Kale Khan Terminal," police stated.
Two semi-automatic pistols of 0.32 with 10 live cartridges, two smartphones, Aadhar card, an Id-Card of Madarsa Islamia Arabia, Darul Uloom Sopore of Mohd. Ashraf Khatana, Election Card of Abdul Latif Mir, a debit card of J & K Bank and a debit Card of J & K Gramin Bank were recovered from them.
Case under appropriate sections of law has been registered against them, police said.
Delhi police said that both terrorists follows "Deobandi" faction of the community and their role model is Molana Masood Azar, Leader of Jaish-e-Mohd.
Born in 1998 in Doru village of Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, Abdul Latif Mir was born in studied up to Class 5th in Government Middle School Doru. Thereafter, he left his studies and in November 2011 went to Darul Ulam Bilalia, Shak Madarsa, Khermbar, Srinagar. His father is a court munshi in District Court of Sopore, Baramullah.
Ashraf Khatana was born in the year 2000 in Village Hat Mulla, Kupwara of Jammu and Kashmir. He studied up to class 7th from Ever Green Public School, Hat Mulla in Kupwara. Thereafter, he left his studies.
In 2012, Khatana went to Darul Ulam Daru Shufa Madarsa, Sri Nagar, JK for further studies. In 2015, he took admission in Sopore in Madarsa Jamia Islamia Arbia Darul Ulam Sopore for studying Arabic Grammer and nowadays he is studying in that Madarsa. He came in contact with Abdul Latif Mir in Jamia Islamia Arbia Darul Ulam, Madarsa sopore. He was brainwashed by local villagers about the "atrocities conducted by security forces on Kashmiri Muslims". His father is retired from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.
A lot of incriminating material in the form of audio, video files and literature has been found in their mobile phones.
"The same is being analysed. Their contacts in Delhi are being identified and their associates in J&K are being ascertained. Their previous antecedents are being verified," police said.
Further investigation is in progress, Delhi Police stated.