Bangalore, Aug 31 (DHNS) : Families of the three arrested terror suspects hailing from Hubli — Ijaz Mirza, Shoaib Mirza and Muthi-Ur-Rahman Siddiqui — have claimed that the allegations levelled by the Bangalore police against the trio are unwarranted.
Speaking to the media, the father of brothers Ijaz Mirza and Shoaib Mirza, said his sons were never involved in any kind of (terror) activities. “They are decent boys and the police arresting them is still a shock to me,” he said.
Ijaz is an electrical engineer and his younger sibling was doing his Master in Computer Application in Bangalore.
“My son was employed with the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the past six months. Working for such a reputed organisation, can you imagine him being an operative of terrorist outfits,” a frail Mirza questioned.
The third suspect Muthi-Ur-Rahman Siddiqui, arrested in Bangalore, was employed with this newspaper for the past three years.
Speaking from Hubli, Siddiqui’s brother Atta-Ur-Rahman said: “I know my brother. Such activities were never part of his life. He is scared of even talking aloud... How will he lift a gun?” he asked.
According to Atta-Ur-Rahman, his brother was always aiming to be a journalist and his only passion was reading.
Atta-Ur-Rahman claimed that he was certain that the police will not be able to trace any link between his brother and LeT/ HUJI.
The Association for People’s Civil Rights(APCR), a City-based organisation, on Thursday said it was contemplating legal action on what it alleged was illegal detention of the five suspects. “Since Tuesday morning, there was no response from the police on the whereabouts of the five. We knocked on the doors of the local police station, the Commissioner’s office and the CCB.
None of them admitted to have arrested them. But 36 hours later, they convene a press briefing to declare they have taken custody of the accused,” said Irshad Ahmed Desai associated with the APCR.
My son is innocent: Ahmed’s father
Sheik Rafeek Ahmed, father of Dr Zafar Iqbal Sholapur, who was arrested in connection with 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium blast case, claimed that his son is innocent, pious and religious.
Ahmed, who reported for work in Udupi district Watershed Department just two days ago (on Tuesday) told Deccan Herald that Zafar had no contacts with any organisations or anti-social elements. He was a brilliant student who was a CET rank holder and a studious personality. “He is my son, how can he go wrong?” said Ahmed and added: “I am a forest officer working for the country.
I am on the verge of retirement. Ours is a very reputed family and I do have lots of respect from people around. All my four children are CET rank holders. Three of them are doctors and the other one is an engineer. My son has nothing to do with Indian Mujahideen,” he reiterated. Ahmed was earlier working in Belgaum Forest department. He just reported for duty two days ago in Udupi district Watershed Department and has gone on leave for two weeks citing ill health as the reason.
Suspects lived close to Jagadish Shettar’s house
Zafar Shoolapur, a terror accused arrested by the Bangalore police in Hubli lived just a stone’s throwaway from Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar’s residence at Badami Nagar in the City all these years.
Zafar, a doctor, and son of a senior officer with the Forest department in Udupi district, had been staying with his parents at house number 27/A, the fourth house from chief minister’s residence for years. Sources in the Police department said Zafar has two brothers - one, a software engineer and another, a doctor in Bangalore. He has a sister, who is also a doctor. According to a neighbour who wished to be unnamed, the family maintained a distance from people.
Even after the news of arrest of Zafar spread like wild fire and mediapersons started gathering, there was hardly any police personnel in the area till afternoon.
“We do not know much about the arrest. We came to know about it only through the newspapers,” said a police constable.
Shocked by the arrest of four terror accused in their backyard, the residents were wondering about the failure of Intelligence people to identify a major security threat near the house of the chief minister.
People of Hubli-Dharwad feel that the twin cities are not safe any more. It may be mentioned here the Anti-Terrorist Cell sleuths from Bangalore had arrested 10 persons- Asadulla Abubakkar, Hafeez Husain, Mohammed Sami Bagevadi, Mohd Yasin, Mohammed Asif, Nadeem Sayeed, Dr Asadulla H A, Nashir Ahmed, Shakeel Ahammed and Dr Mirza Ahamed Baig-- from Hubli and Davangere in 2008 on charges of involving in anti-national activities.
Imran alias Ubedulla, arrested on charges of anti-national activities on Wednesday from Vasanthnagar in Hubli studied Diploma in Tool and Dye Making at NTTF in Dharwad from 2004-05. After completing his course, Ubedulla got a job in Bangalore and later he moved to Dubai, his classmates said.
“He is a good orator and used to say a lot about himself. He used to bunk classes and pick fights with friends occasionally,” they said.
Another arrested, Vaheed Hussain Kanakannavar, is an MBA graduate. Ubedulla Bahadduri is an electrical engineer, Sadiq Lashkari worked as demolisher and Mehaboob Saifuddin, as a mason.
There is an eerie silence in the residences of the terror accused in the City. The parents of the youth were at a loss of words when the mediapersons visited their houses on Thursday.
“A six-member team came to our house on Wednesday and took Vaheed into their custody saying that they have to inquire him,” said Vaheed’s father, Abdul Munaf, a retired railway employee.
Munaf said Vaheed had availed a loan of Rs 2.9 lakh to pursue his MBA degree and was a bit depressed as the bank had issued notice for recovery of the money. “We had promised him that we would repay the loan by selling our house in Gadag,” he said.