Bengaluru, June 7: The probe in the activities of Talib Hussain, the arrested Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, has revealed that he had lived in a mosque here under a different name for three years and delivered provocative speeches.
However, the mosque authorities have refused this allegation and stated that they had only given him shelter. The management of the mosque have told the police that they knew he came from Jammu and Kashmir. The matter is being investigated now.
The mosque authorities told the police that during the second lockdown, Talib Hussain came with his wife and an infant to the mosque. He had told them that he did not have food to eat and they let him live in a room of the mosque without rent.
The mosque authorities have also told the police that Hussain had earlier rented a house and he was not involved in any suspicious activities.
In a joint operation, the armed forces from Jammu and Kashmir along with the Karnataka Police arrested Hussain. According to sources, the operation was jointly conducted by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the Central Armed Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with the help of local Bengaluru police.
The operation was carried out on June 3 and the incident has come to light lately.
The arrested terrorist was one of a key person in Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit and he allegedly worked as the commander. The matter was confirmed to the media by Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh.
Sources said Talib Hussain belongs to Kishtwar district of Nagaseni Tehsil. He had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in 2016, and has two wives and five children.
With the arrest of Talib Hussain, the debate of Bengaluru being a sleeper cell for terrorists and anti-national forces has come to the forefront once again. The questions are also being raised on how Talib Hussain could stay for 3 years without coming into the radar of the intelligence agencies.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that the police department will be keeping vigil on people in the city. “Jammu and Kashmir Police have taken action and Karnataka Police have given all cooperation for the operation. Similar arrests have been made earlier in Bhatkal, Sirsi towns of the state,” Bommai said.
IANS