Pulwama youth arrested in Delhi for ‘conspiring to kill Hindu priest’

SRINAGAR — A 26-year-old resident of Pulwama was arrested in Delhi’s Pahar Ganj for planning to kill a priest, Swami Narsinghanand.

As per Delhi Police, the accused, John Muhammad (alias Jaan), a resident of Pulwama, was arrested from a hotel room around 6:30 PM on April 28 with a bore pistol, two magazines and 15 lives rounds that were in from his luggage.

Other items in his luggage included an orange kurta, a piece of kalawa, pure kumkum chandan tika and a wooden beaded necklace, as per the police.

The police mentioned that he had earlier been booked in 2016 for stone pelting at the time of the death of Burhan Wani, commander of proscribed outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

“Muhammad revealed that he had come in contact with Abid, a Mujahid of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in December last year and later in April 2021. Abid and subject grew strong bonding as both wanted to fight against the Indian government,” police said.

“They met twice, first in December 2020 and later in April 2021. They were frequently in touch with each other on WhatsApp,” the Delhi Police’s statement said.

The statement added that Abid had assigned Muhammad the task of assassinating Swami Narsinghanand as he committed blasphemy against last prophet of Islam. He also taught the latter how to handle a weapon.

He gave him Rs 6,500 in cash and Rs 35,000 in his bank account, as per the police statement, which also mentioned that Mohammad met Abid’s source, Umar, in Delhi’s Jama Masjid to procure a weapon.