M A I N   N E W S

Ayodhya attack case: doc held

Lucknow, July 22
In the first arrest in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the terrorist attack in Ayodhya, the police today picked up a doctor, practicing in Delhi, from Saharanpur.

The police also located a hideout of the terrorists in Akbarpur from where they were suspected to have travelled to Faizabad-Ayodhya to carry out the attack on July 5.

Dr Irfan Khan, a Unani doctor, practicing in the Sangam Vihar area of Delhi, was arrested from at the Nakud area of Saharanpur, the Inspector-General, Special Task force, Mr Arun Kumar Gupta, told reporters.

Dr Khan had been in touch with the terrorists and they had also made seven calls to him from Akbarpur, he said.

Mr Gupta said one of the terrorists, identified as Amin, alias Zuber, had visited Nakud, native place of Dr Khan, on March 20 to attend the wedding of his cousin. Dr Khan and Zuber then visited Deoband.

On their way back, the duo had stayed in Muzaffarnagar with one Abdul Rehman, also of Nakud, who worked in Messay Ferguson tractor company for two days, he said, adding that the doctor was aware of the terrorists’ plans.

The terrorists had made seven calls to Dr Khan during their stay in Akbarpur in May, Mr Gupta said, adding that it had been established that he had come to Lucknow for some work but his visit to Akbarpur was being verified.

He had been booked under the Unlawful Activities Act and efforts were on to take him on remand for further investigations, Mr Gupta said. — PTI