Delhi Police Withdraw Terror Alert As Alleged Terrorists Turn Out To Be Pakistani Students

After the confirmation from a Pakistani University, Jamia Imdadia, that the two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) operatives were, in fact, its students, Delhi police withdrew the terror alert advisory, which was issued on November 20, reported India Today.

Earlier this month, the Delhi police had released a photo wherein the said students were standing near a milestone. Reportedly, the police mistook the milestone in the image to be from Firozpur, Punjab,India, while in reality, it was taken in a Pakistani town. After a terror alert was issued in Delhi.

Alleged terrorists turn out to be Pakistani students

In mid-November, the Anti-terror unit of the Delhi Police had released a picture. It had two men posing next to a milestone with Firozpur-9 kilometres, Delhi-360 kilometres inscribed on it, insinuating them to be members of the Pakistan based terror group with the intention to enter Delhi via Punjab. The authorities then issued an advisory for the capital to remain alert and to immediately call Paharganj Police if they were spotted.

The Punjab Police had also issued a high alert for the state after receiving information about seven JeM terrorists, as reported by India Today.

However, the administrator of Jamia Imdadia, Maulana Muhammad Zahid said that the two men identified as Nadeem and Tayyab, were students of the university from the last couple of years. He also claimed that they had never visited India, reported The Dawn.

Reportedly, the press conference where the clarification was issued, the two men were also present. Mufti Zahid, in the conference, said that both Nadeem and Tayyab had visited Lahore a few days ago to attend a Tablighi congregation at Raiwind, and then to Ganda Singh border to watch the flag-lowering ceremony. He added that the picture used by the Delhi Police in the alert was taken by the students along a milestone which showed the distance to Delhi and Ferozepur [Firozpur] and shared the picture on social media.

“We are very specific about not letting our students indulge in any political or religious affairs as long as they are affiliated with our institution”, The Express Tribune quoted Mufti Zahid as saying.

The Logical Indian take

Given that the source of information behind Delhi Police’s judgement has not been disclosed, the episode is open to conjecture. Was it a flawed intelligence agency report that mistook young Pakistani men in traditional attire resembling terrorist profiles on record – or as a section of the public believes, an instance of the Delhi Police jumping the gun without proper investigation and ending up embarrassing itself. Although such lapses on the part of the Police do not seem to be the norm, certain theorists suggest xenophobia and the political machinery’s constant endeavour to breed suspicion and mistrust.

In the current climate of widespread anxiety about every little detail and move made between the two countries, where threats of terror are constantly issued and given the opportunity, brought to fruition – one can never be too careful on matters of national safety.

Also Read: AMU Suspends 3 Students For Allegedly Holding Funeral Prayers For Former Student-Turned Terrorist