Pak national killed in Mumbai, another held on terror charge

The arrested man was identified as Mohammad Riaz Nawabuddin (21) while the one who was killed was Mohammad Ali Mohammad Chirag alias Abu Osama.

According to police, based on specific intelligence inputs, they intercepted a Maruti van (GJ-17-AB-3976) near Vadala Truck Terminus past midnight. Its lone occupant was Mohammad Riaz Nawabuddin. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a Chinese pistol, five live cartridges and 1.5 kg of a white powder which has been sent for analysis. Police also recovered Rs 1,450 and $50 from Nawabuddin’s possession.

Two other sets of registration number plates bearing numbers GJ-15-M-7353 and MH-04-AW-9459 were also recovered from the car alongwith a red pocket diary which had some Bangladesh telephone numbers of and three maps: of the world, Maharashtra and Mumbai.

A few receipts of calls made from public telephone booths were also recovered from the car.

Sources later told The Indian Express that while the two Gujarat registration numbers were of Godhra and Valsad towns, the Maharashtra registration was of Mumbai but all the three registration numbers were found to be fake.

During questioning, Nawabuddin told police that he was from Pakistan, giving his address as 4WB, P S Machiwala area in Bihari district. But no document substantiating his nationality or identity was found on his person.

He also told the police team that his accomplice was in one of the apartments in the deserted government colony in Sector 7 of Antop Hill suburb.

Nawabuddin was told to lead the police team to the apartment. But on reaching there, they were fired at from an AK-47 by Mohammed Ali. Police said he fired 18 rounds at them and died in the return fire. The AK-47 and 72 live rounds were later recovered from the apartment which did not have any furniture or utensils but had some food and clothes.

“Our officers suffered some bruises in the operation but no bullet injuries. And when we asked the one we had arrested (Nawabuddin) about the identity of the one who had fired at the police, he provided his identity and a brief background,” Mumbai Police Commissioner A N Roy told reporters later.

Roy said that Mohammad Ali was a resident of Charchak area in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Police said that Nawabuddin had revealed to them that Mohammad had been staying in a north Indian state and was working in a company before he fled to Mumbai with him.

“We have just arrested the person. We will now question him about his links and plans. As of now I do not want to make any speculation on the organisation to which he belongs,’’ said Roy.