Wanted Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist arrested from Delhi’s Nizamuddin area

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Thursday arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, wanted in 11 terror attack cases in Jammu and Kashmir, from the national capital, an official said.

It is a major breakthrough, Special Commissioner of Police (SCP) HGS Dhaliwal said at a press conference.

Javaid Ahmad Matoo, 32, a highly indoctrinated terrorist carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh, was arrested from Delhi’s Nizamuddin area. He was driving a stolen car when he was apprehended, police said.

Matoo is named in “11 known terror attack cases”, including five grenade attacks and killing of at least five police personnel in sperate incidents, in Jammu and Kashmir, Dhaliwal said and added that he is a member of the terrorist outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr.

Dozens of police personnel have also been injured in attacks led by Matoo, Dhaliwal said.

On his arrest, Dhaliwal said police seized a loaded pistol and an extra magazine from Matoo, a resident of Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir and an “A++” category terrorist. Matoo’s activities started in 2010.

He was also leading a terrorist module in Jammu and Kashmir that had six members, Dhaliwal said.

He is among the last surviving terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, the official said and added that he evaded security agencies by changing his identity. Dhaliwal said Matoo had recently come to Delhi.

As of now, his involvement has not surfaced in any case in the national capital, the SCP added.

Requesting anonymity, another officer said Abdul Mazid Zargar, a resident of Sopore, was among Matoo’s associates. Currently, Zargar is in Pakistan and he is involved in cross-border smuggling, the officer said.

“Abdul Qayum Nazar was the operational in-charge of the terrorist module. He was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir,” the officer said.

Tariq Ahmed Lone, another associate of Matoo, was a Pakistan-trained terrorist. Lone fell to death after he jumped from a bridge when he was surrounded by security forces, the officer added.

The officer said Imtiyaz Kundu, also Matoo’s associate, fled to Pakistan in 2016. His name has surfaced in several cases in Kashmir, the officer said.

Mehraj Halwai and Pakistan-trained terrorist Wasim Guru, also linked to Matoo, were killed in an encounter by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, the officer said.