Delhi cops foil Lashkar terror plot, arrested operative is retd armyman | India News

NEW DELHI: A few days before the anniversary of the Pulwama attack, Delhi Police has foiled a major terror attack in the capital with the arrest of wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Riyaz Ahmed Rather from New Delhi Railway Station, reports Rajshekhar Jha.
According to DCP KPS Malhotra, Rather, a former armyman, was part of LeT’s Kupwara module which was recently busted in the Valley and a cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles received from across the LoC, was recovered.
Rather, cops said, had escaped after that raid and had come to the capital to meet other members of the network and carry out a terrorist strike but was apprehended on the inputs of an intelligence agency.
He is being jointly interrogated by multiple agencies and other members of his network are being traced. “J&K police have been informed for further necessary action at their end,” DCP Malhotra said.
On Feb 4, Delhi Police received inputs from agencies in J&K about movements of the operative towards the capital and was on high alert.

“The input we received was that one Riyaz Ahmed Rather from Kupwara, who was wanted in the recent terror module case bust wherein five Lashkar operatives were arrested and a UAPA FIR was filed there in this connection,” DCP Malhotra added.
Rather, a technical investigation revealed, would reach New Delhi Railway Station in the early hours. Multiple teams led by inspector Vishwanath Paswan, SI Naseeb Singh and others were formed and a plan was chalked out. Cops in civvies were deployed at all the entry and exit points, besides some other strategic points of the station. Another team monitored CCTV footage to locate the suspect.

Finally, Rather was spotted and a team moved to nab him. However, the suspect sensed trouble and tried to flee through gate number 1. The alert team, however, chased and caught him. “A mobile phone and a SIM card were recovered from him. Accused Riyaz Ahmad was arrested under appropriate sections of law and officials of the concerned police station were also informed,” DCP Malhotra said.
Rather revealed during interrogation that he and his associate Altaf had boarded Mahakoshal Express from Jabalpur and had reached Hazarat Nizamuddin railway station. Then he boarded an auto and reached New Delhi to meet an associate and give the final shape to their plan, said an official.
Officials said Rather had received a large consignment of arms and ammunition from two other operatives – Khursheed and Ghulam – who were earlier arrested by J&K police. “He was involved in hatching a terrorist conspiracy with the duo and had received arms and ammunition from across the LoC by his handlers,” said a senior cop.