AMU suspends research scholar following 'terror links', Aligarh police raid his room on campus hostel
LUCKNOW: After reports of one of its PhD scholars Manna Bashir Wani of Kupwara, Kashmir, joining a prominent terror outfit a couple of days ago, the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) suspended him with
immediate effect. However, a team of Aligarh police conducted raids on Wani’s room on AMU campus to get more clues about his terror engagements on Monday.
The police team led by SSP, Aligarh, Rajesh Pandey searched Wani’s room number 237 in Habib hostel of AMU. The raiding team seized the clothes, documents and other items of the suspected terror module who is believed to have joined Hijbul Mujahidin on January 5 this year. The police action caught the AMU administration unawares and even the LIU had no information of any such activity by the Aligarh police.
Wani, 25, had been studying in AMU for the last four years. At present, he was pursuing PhD in Applied Geology after completing his masters Master's and MPhil in geology from AMU. Wani had a Bachelors’
degree in Geology and Earth Sciences from the University of Kashmir. He had won an award for the best paper presentation at an international conference in 2016.
The news of him joining Hijbul broke out when Wani, visiting his home in Kupwara on a break, went missing. He had to reach home on January 3 but he did not turn up and suddenly his pictures brandishing
assault rifle cum grenade launcher surfaced on social media. This left his family in panic.
As per the police sources, Wani and his aides were contemplating to launch a big a terror strike on republic day, Janaury 26. The sources say that he had been staying in a hotel near Jama Masjid in the national capital and was given the code Humza.
However, the AMU proctor, Mohsin Khan expressed ignorance saying Wani was a regular student and the university had no clue about his activities. “The police team has raided his room and made an inventory of his things which we have received. The university has suspended him with immediate effect,” confirmed Khan. According to Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Anand Kumar, Wani seemed to have got radicalised to take to militancy. “The probe is on. We are inquiring into all the aspects involved in persuading the youth to take up the gun. We are trying to zero in his aides as well,” said the ADG.
Meanwhile, his friends in AMU expressed shock at the reports of he picking up the gun. They even opposed the police raids on his room in Habib hostel of AMU. The police had to take some of his AMU
acquaintances in custody for stopping the police from raids.