Return of the Fear

More innocent Muslim youth face witch-hunting by counter-terrorist agencies

Hardnews Bureau Delhi

"We are living under constant trauma. The Special Cell people said that they just needed our help. We helped them and now they have picked my brother," said Taquee Ahmad. He hails from Darbhanga, the 'new Azamgarh'. Most of the people arrested over the last couple of months on charges of being involved with the Indian Mujahideen belong to this area of Bihar.

In a press conference held at the NGO ANHAD's office in New Delhi, he narrated how his family has been subjected to harassment by the police and other security agencies. His family has been hounded and terrorised by the Maharashtra ATS. His brother Naquee Ahmad is said to be a key witness in the July 13 serial bombings in Mumbai. He has been arrested under section 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code allegedly for providing fake documents for buying a sim card.

Even as the press conference ended, a team of the Maharashtra ATS landed up at the ANHAD office and probed Taquee for over an hour. He was then taken to his rented accommodation in Abul Fazal area of Jamia Nagar where the anti-terror agency took away Naquee's laptop and a phone for further investigation. Naquee and Taquee together lived in Abul Fazal and were engaged in a small business of manufacturing and selling of luggage bags.

"After the Sangh terror expose, this witch hunt stopped for a brief while. Now it has begun again," said Shabnam Hashmi, a social activist. "The way these security agencies are targeting young Muslims, I see a bigger design in it that they don't want the community to better its prospects," she added.

"These security agencies are acting with complete impunity. They don't seem to have any fear of the law. Even after being criticised by the courts, the same officers are handed over the investigations," said Manisha Sethi of Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association. "We have written so many letters to the Union home minister, but never got any reply," she added.

Meanwhile, Taquee maintains that the family has no role to play in any terror activity. He says that his brother had no associations whatsoever with Ghayoor Jamali, who is in jail facing charges of terror.

Chronology of events as alleged by Taquee Ahmad