CHENNAI: A team from the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) in coordination with the city police, apprehended an alleged terror suspect, part of a Bangladesh-based terror outfit – Ansar-al-Islam – in Chennai on Friday.
The arrested man, Anwar Sheikh (30), a native of Kulsona village in Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal, had escaped to Chennai five months ago and was working as a housekeeping staff at a hotel in Koyambedu and also at a construction site near the TAISHA housing complex.
Based on a specific tip-off, a team headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from West Bengal-STF tracked the suspect near 100 Feet Road, from where he was secured with the help of Koyambedu police.
According to police sources, Kanksa police in West Bengal had booked a case on June 22 under sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967 and searched for the suspects. Sheikh’s associates – Mohammed Habibullah, a college student and Harej Shaikh (27) were already arrested by the STF in West Bengal.
Based on their confession, STF came to Chennai to apprehend Anwar, police sources said. City police will be enquiring the persons who assisted Anwar in securing a job as a housekeeping staff at the hotel.
The suspect was taken to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for a medical check-up and produced before a magistrate in the city to obtain a transit warrant. He was taken back to West Bengal, where he will be prosecuted, police said.