Moradabad turning into a haven for terrorists in UP

Moradabad, Apr 6 (UNI) The arrest of six terrorists from Lucknow yesterday -- in connection with March seven Varanasi blast -- two of whom belong to Moradabad division, indicates that this part of Western Uttar Pradesh is gradually turning into a haven for terrorists.

Official sources said here today that Shad Ali and Rizwan Siddiqui, two of the six ultras arrested in connection with Varanasi blast, belonged to Amroha town in Moradabad division.

The two are not the first ultras having links with Moradabad, as in the past too, several terrorists associated with this region have been arrested.

Sources said that immediately after the March seven Varanasi blast, two terrorists were gunned down in Delhi. Later, it was revealed that the car they were travelling in carried a number plate belonging to Moradabad -- the plate, however, turned out to be fake.

But a petrol pump reciept foud in the car confirmed that it filled from a pump in Moradabad.

Subsequently on March 13 last, a sleeper ISI agent was held from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, who had managed to get a driving licence from Moradabad, official sources added.

In July 2002, a suspected Hizbul operative was arrested from Moradabad, followed by the arrest of two ultras from the Lal Masjid area here. Besides, four suspected ISI agents were also arrested in 2002 from the Rampur district of Moradabad division, while a Kashmiri ultra was held alongwith weapons from the house of one Mohd Zafar Alam, four years ago, in the same district.

In 2002, a self-styled Hizbul commander Ulfat was arrested from the Pipalsana area here. The arrested belonged to Jammu and Kashmir and had studied in Madarsas in Moradabad and Bareilly, official sources said.

Intelligence agencies have focussed attention on this region of UP and a permanent office of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) here is a testimony to the serious development, sources added.

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