New Delhi: On the day the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, a 24-year-old Pakistani national with a plan to kill her for the controversial statement against Prophet Mohammad was arrested from the India-Pakistan international border in the Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, police said on Tuesday.
Superintendent of police (SP), Anand Sharma said the accused was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) on the intervening night of July 16-17. The police have seized two knives, religious books, food and clothes from the bag in his possession, Hindustan Times reported.
The SP said BSF handed over the accused to the Hindumalkot police station. A first information report (FIR) was lodged and a joint investigation team started the investigation, which concluded today evening. The accused, identified as Rizwan Ashraf, son of Mohammad Ashraf, a resident of Mandi Bahauddin district of Pakistan, had sneaked into India from Hindumalkot international border.
“In the preliminary interrogation, he revealed his plan to kill BJP leader Nupur Sharma. He seems to be religiously motivated. He was produced before a court from where he was sent into police custody for five days,” Sharma was quoted as saying. He added that the accused had no idea about the residence of Nupur Sharma and how he will reach to her.
An FIR has been registered against the accused under sections of the Foreigners Act, Indian Passport Act and Arms Act.
