Lucknow: Following recent reports of a resident of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh being detained and imprisoned in Lahore, Pakistan, the local superintendent of police (SP) confirmed that Mohammad Usman has been missing since 2012.
Media reports indicate that Usman, a resident of Deepa Sarai in Sambhal, is presently held in Lahore Central Jail. In response to inquiries from the Ministry of External Affairs, the district police administration has requested clarification regarding the situation.
However, authorities confirmed to the times of India, that they received a letter from the relevant officials indicating that Mohammad Usman, also known by the aliases Abdul Rehman and Waneet, is currently held in Lahore Central Jail.
“Upon contacting his family, we learned that he has been missing since 2012,” said the officer. The letter requested verification of Usman’s details, and the police have forwarded the necessary information to the concerned authorities.
As per Indian Express, a press statement revealed by the police that identified Mohammad Usman as “an absconding terrorist.” It further revealed that in 2015, the Delhi Police Special Cell registered an FIR against Usman and 16 others under the UAPA, the Indian Penal Code, and the Indian Passport Act.
“Usman was declared a fugitive by Delhi Police in 2016. He had joined AQIS (Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) along with his fellow residents from Deepa Sarai,” the statement noted. It also mentioned that Maulana Asim Umar, another resident of Deepa Sarai, was killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan on September 23, 2019.
As per the report, Usman is unmarried and has lost both his parents. His three brothers still reside in Deepa Sarai. He has been evading authorities since December 2015, when the Delhi Police carried out a raid.
Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi revealed details to the Times of India, that, “During questioning in Pakistan, Usman mentioned that former Sambhal MP Shafiq-ur-Rahman Barq (grandfather of current Samajwadi Party MP Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq) lived in his neighbourhood and that he also knew a certain Haji Nazeeb well. However, he was unaware that Barq had passed away. We are still trying to find out who Nazeeb is.”
Police have since intensified their investigation, focusing on Usman’s financial transactions, communication history, and past activities. “His family members have been questioned, and security agencies are probing all angles,” said Bishnoi.
“We are collecting data on mobile numbers, bank accounts, and properties. Possible hawala transactions or high-value bank transfers are also being examined,” he added.
