The Hindu : `Babri masjid demolition made Asghar Ali a fundamentalist'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

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National

`Babri masjid demolition made Asghar Ali a fundamentalist'

By S. Ramu

NALGONDA APRIL 18. Md. Asghar Ali alias Junaid (29), prime accused in the killing of the former Gujarat Home Minister, Haren Pandya, was a petty criminal before he became an ISI agent, police claim. After the demolition of the Babri masjid, he became a hardcore fundamentalist.

Four days before the arrest of Ali, his mother and sister, who were residing in the Darushafa colony here, were not found. Police records say he was involved in more than 10 criminal cases in Nalgonda and Hyderabad.

Police records show that Ali, a school dropout, trespassed into a nursing school and assaulted the watchman, when he was 17. After he was held in a stabbing case, Ali launched an organisation — the Tahrik-e-Muslim Shabban — and stepped up activities based on religious fundamentalism.

He wrote slogans on temple walls and rallies in protest against the Babri masjid demolition. Police said he had visited Delhi, the Hazratbal in Kashmir and Agra in 1994 perhaps to meet some of the ISI cadre.

He opened fired at G. Maisaiah, a prominent BJP leader, with a revolver with his accomplice, Farid, on December 17, 1995.

He escaped from the police custody on July 21, 1996 during interrogation in the Two Town police station.

"He drew oil from the `puris' that was supplied for breakfast and applied it to his hands to ease out handcuffs. He is a Houdini,'' commented an officer, who was involved in the nabbing of Ali.

He was arrested in January 16, 1997 at Chandur and was convicted in an attack case in November 13, 2001.

He was reportedly in touch with ISI activists in the jail and visited Kashmir on his release. His hideout in Nalgonda was raided after the encounter death of Azam Ghori, the most important leader of the ISI, and police reportedly found conclusive evidence about his activities.

He was having links with Rafiuddin, M.A. Mujib and other ISI agents.

The accomplice of Ali, Abdul Bari, who was also arrested by the CBI, is the son of a retired constable. Police records say he played hockey for the country in 1989.

He was allegedly involved in the attack on the RSS office in 1998.

* * *

Another arrest in A.P.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 18. In the continuing crackdown on ISI-backed fundamentalists, the Andhra Pradesh police and CBI sleuths today arrested Safi, an alleged history-sheeter, in connection with the attempt on the life of the Gujarat VHP vice-president, Jagdish Tiwari. The arrest took place on the outskirts of the Twin Cities.

Police sources said that Safi was a close associate of Asghar Ali, who was earlier arrested for his suspected involvement in the killing of the former Gujarat Minister, Haren Pandya. Both Ali and Safi belong to Nalgonda district. Safi is being taken to Delhi for further interrogation on transit remand.

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