Independence Day ‘terror attack plot’: Azamgarh youth’s family says ATS wrongly arrested him
ATS claimed on Tuesday that Sabahuddin Azmi had links with Islamic State (IS) and was also planning to target RSS leaders.
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The ATS also claimed that Sabahuddin was currently a member of AIMIM. (Representational/File)Sabahuddin Azmi, 25, arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the UP Police from Azamgarh for allegedly planning to carry out a blast on Independence Day, dropped out of school after Class VI and worked as an AC repair mechanic, his family and neighbours said.
Expressing dismay over his arrest, Azmi’s family and neighbours in Mubarakpur area of Azamgarh claimed that he was innocent and wrongly arrested by the UP ATS.
“My brother is innocent. The ATS has wrongly taken action against him,” Sabahuddin’s cousin Salauddin said.
“Last week, police picked up Sabahuddin from our house. A day later, the ATS picked two more men from the area. On Tuesday, police showed the arrest of Sabahuddin and released the two others youths,” he added.
ATS claimed on Tuesday that Azmi had links with Islamic State (IS) and was also planning to target RSS leaders.
“Sabahuddin’s family is in the business of weaving. Around five years ago, Sabahuddin went to Mumbai where he learned air condition repairing. He stayed in Mumbai for around two months and returned to his native place. Since then, he used to repair air conditioners in Azamgarh,” said a local shopkeeper Ziaullah.
The youngest among the five brothers, Sabahuddin is single.
While the ATS claimed that Sabahuddin was a member of AIMIM, the party has denied it.
Shah Alam, who contested the 2022 Assembly election from the Mubarakpur Assembly seat on an AIMIM ticket, also denied having any knowledge about Sabahuddin.
“Sabahuddin used to play an active part in the election campaigns. We don’t know which political party he was supporting,” his cousin Salauddin said.
A resident of Mubarakpur said, Sabahuddin used to sell vegetables in the area. “Since his family’s financial condition was not good, people in the area collected money to send his elder brother Salim to Dubai for work,” the resident added.
Meanwhile, Azamgarh police are collecting details about him and his family. Sources said that police have so far not found any involvement of Sabahuddin Azmi in any criminal activities. “We are trying to collect information about Sabahuddin Azmi from adjoining districts also,” said Azamgarh SP Anurag Arya.
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