The ‘Anti-Terrorism Squad’ (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has apprehended a terrorist with ISIS ideology named Waziuddin from Durg, Chhattisgarh. Waziuddin was pursuing a Ph.D. at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh. On Tuesday, November 7th, the ATS arrested him in Durg, Chhattisgarh, and subsequently transferred him to Lucknow on transit remand.
As per information obtained from police sources, the arrested terrorist Waziuddin is originally from Durg, Chhattisgarh, and was pursuing his Ph.D. at AMU. He used to teach social science subjects like history, geography, and civics to junior students, including Hindu students, in Aligarh. He was referred to as ‘Ameer’ by those who shared his ideology, a term considered as the title of a king among Muslims. Waziuddin is described as a self-radicalised terrorist.
ATS found inflammatory and terrorist literature on Waziuddin’s phone. He is currently being transported from Durg to Lucknow on transit remand, with plans to present him in court and obtain his remand. Earlier in the week, ATS also arrested AMU associates Abdullah Arshlan and Maaz bin Tariq, both of whom are said to be self-radicalised and influenced by ISIS ideology. Waziuddin, Abdullah Arshlan, and Maaz Bin Tariq are also linked to the Pune ISIS network.
One particularly shocking aspect of this situation is that two separate terrorists apprehended at Aligarh Muslim University in the last two months were married to Hindu women. Shahnawaz, who was apprehended by Delhi Police’s Special Cell in October, married a Hindu woman in 2021. Shahnawaz’s wife was previously known as Basanti Patel and took the name Khadija Mariam after marriage.
Similarly, terrorist Abdullah Arslan, who was apprehended in the early days of November 2023, entered into a marriage with a Hindu woman. Abdullah Arslan’s wife hails from Hathras and is an AMU graduate, reputedly holding higher educational qualifications than Abdullah himself. Previously known as Kirti Sharma, she is the daughter of a government servant. Abdullah has a criminal history. Given this circumstance, efforts are underway to gather information on how Kirti Sharma became ensnared with this now-apprehended terrorist.
