Intelligence agencies arrested a Pakistani-origin man identified as Mohammed Zakriya at Chennai International Airport on January 25 when he was trying to travel to Sri Lanka. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took him into custody for interrogation. Zakriya is linked to a Pakistani terrorist organisation named Khalifa.
Zakriya has reportedly been living in India for the last 25 years and runs a food business named Royal Bawarchi Biryani in Telangana. The agencies found on him literature associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.
Zakriya was coordinating sleeper cells in Telangana and West Bengal
As per reports, Zakriya first lived in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh for five years and then moved to Hanamkonda in the Warangal district of Telangana where he has been living for the past 20 years. Zakriya is said to have been handling the operations of Khalifa in India. He was under the watch of the intelligence agencies for coordinating sleeper cells in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. According to the agencies, Zakriya was trying to travel to Pakistan via Sri Lanka to take part in the election of the leader of his terrorist organisation as their leader passed away recently.
Involved in Islamic religious conversions in Warangal
Zakriya is reportedly also involved in Islamic religious conversions in Warangal and converted several individuals. He runs several businesses including some biryani centres in Warangal and Hanamkonda. The agencies suspect that his food business is a cover for his terror operations. He owned 16 auto-trolley vehicles used for selling sweets and ice-creams. He was in direct contact with his Pakistani handlers through encrypted communication channels. He was involved in coordinating logistical support, financial transfers via hawala and recruitment of the local youth in his terrorist organisation.
Zakriya has two wives and ten children in India
The Intelligence agencies suspect that Zakriya was heading the terrorist organisation’s activities in India. He lived in Hanamkonda with his two brothers. He has two wives and ten children. The agencies have been interrogating Zakriya and probing his connections with the Pakistani terrorist organisation. During a raid at his residence, the security forces reportedly recovered explosives, firearms and several fake IDs.
