NIA officer’s murder: Investigation zeroing in on personal motive, says UP ADG

WATCH| New Twist In Tanzeel Ahmed’s Murder Case, UP Police Suspects Personal Enmity

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Chowdhary declined to share details, saying that the UP ATS was also looking at terror angle and police were close to cracking the case, and culprits would be caught soon.

Sources in UP police and NIA, however, said the leads that the agencies have point towards a property dispute that may have gone awry. “Tanzeel was also someone to whom people in and around his village went to sort out local disputes, including those of property. There are indications that something went wrong in this regard. However, it is too premature to exactly say what happened unless the killers are caught. But a professional reason for the murder is increasingly looking remote,” said an officer involved with the investigation.

Another official added that Ahmed’s family itself owns significant agricultural land. He was shot dead by unidentified assailants near his house in Bijnor past midnight Saturday while returning from the wedding of his niece along with his family.

UP Police Tuesday released photographs of two suspects who had also come to the wedding. However, sources said they may not be the killers, nor have anything to do with the murder.

A resident of Sahaspur village in Bijnor, Ahmed was an assistant commandant with the BSF. In 2009, he joined NIA on deputation and was with the agency since. His colleagues in the NIA vouched for his integrity and professionalism and described him as a person unlikely to have personal enmity with anyone.

In his six years at NIA, Ahmed had been a part of almost all terror investigations involving groups such as Indian Mujahideen and the Islamic State. He worked both in the intelligence and the investigations department of the agency. His seniors described him as “an excellent field officer”.

“He had good contacts in his community and was very good at getting intelligence. Through his contacts, he had also convinced many accused in various cases to surrender,” said a senior NIA officer.