Big terror attack on major temple in UP foiled

Kanpur, Sep 14: The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorism Squad made a crucial arrest, following which a major attack was foiled. The ATS arrested a terrorist of the Hizbul Mujahideen from Kanpur and he has been identified as Qamer Uzzaman, 37.

A resident of Assam, Uzzaman was planning a major strike during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. He had on his radar a prominent temple, Director General of Police, O P Singh said.

Qamer, who was arrested from Kanpur's Chakeri area, had gone missing from Assam. In a video recovered from his mobile, police say, he can be seen surveying temples in the city.

The state's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) made the arrest with the help of Kanpur Police and the National Investigation Agency. "He was active on social media and had posted a picture of himself in April 2018 with an AK-47, after which he was under our radar," the DGP said.

The photo in which Qamer, who is from Jamunamukh in Assam's Nagaon district, is seen holding an automatic rifle recently went viral on social media.

The caption of the photo suggested he had joined Hizbul, which reads: "Org: Hizbul Mujahideen; Name: Qamer Uzzaman; S/O Ibrahim Zaman; R/O: Assam India; Code: Dr Hurairah; Qul: MA English."

Singh added that Uzzaman is educated with knowledge of computers. He however failed the BA third year exam. He had undergone training in Pakistan in 2017 and had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen there, Singh further said.

Sources say that he had come down to Kanpur and had carried out a reconnaissance of a temple. He was plotting a fedayeen strike on the temple. He was planning on targeting a huge crowd, the police officer also added.