Pakistan-trained terrorist held in West Bengal for J&K cleric killing
Times of India | 23 December 2024
Munshi at Alipore court KOLKATA: A Pakistan-trained member of banned terrorist group Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), wanted by Jammu & Kashmir Police for the 2011 murder of a cleric in J&K, was arrested late Saturday by the Bengal special task force (STF) from Canning in South 24 Parganas, 60km from Kolkata.
IED expert Jawed Munshi was acting under Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) instructions, police said. He was apprehended in a joint raid by STF and J&K cops on a building called Gulshan House, near Canning Sub-Divisional Hospital. Munshi reached Canning two days ago, posing as a shawl seller. He planned to escape to Bangladesh, the cops said.
IED expert was ‘involved’ in 2011 cleric murder
A court in Kolkata’s Alipore allowed the J&K police team to take Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) member Jawed Munshi — who was caught late Saturday from Canning — on transit remand to Jammu & Kashmir, where he is to be charged under UAPA, by Dec 31.
Munshi has been handed over to the J&K cops, said Indrajit Basu, SP (operations), Bengal STF.
“Munshi, a known IED expert and weapons handler, is affiliated with the banned terrorist organisation Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM),” according to a statement released by the Bengal police, which adds, “Munshi has a history of involvement in terror-related activities, including alleged participation in the 2011 murder of Showkat Ahmad Shah, a leader of the Ahl-i-Hadith, and has served multiple jail terms under terrorism-related charges.”
Shah, an Islamic cleric, was murdered in 2011 by an IED fitted in a bicycle. Eight people were accused of the murder. In Feb 2020, during the trial, Abdul Gani Dar alias Abdullah Gazali, a former TuM chief then out on bail, was found murdered near the same mosque, where Shah had been killed. Six others who faced trial were acquitted by a special NIA court in Dec 2020 for lack of evidence. Munshi was on the run and was being tracked by agencies.
Bengal police said that Munshi, after preliminary interrogation, had “admitted to” multiple visits to Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan on instructions of his handlers, using fake Pakistani passports. The cops also confirmed that Munshi had been acting under instructions of LeT.
Mushi’s arrest follows the recent arrests of eight suspected members of terrorist outfit Ansar-al-Islam Bangladesh. Two of the eight arrested were from Murshidabad.
Gulshan House, from where Jawed was held, is temporary home to Tabassum Biwi and her husband Golam Mohammad, both from J&K, who take this place on rent between Nov and Feb each year to sell Kashmiri shawls. Tabassum told TOI that Jawed was her brother-in-law, who got married to her sister 25 years ago. “He wanted to visit us, so we agreed. I have no idea what he does,” she said, adding that he was arrested the day he arrived at their home.
Munabbar Piyada, the owner of Gulshan House, could not be reached for comment.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.