Two terror suspects arrested by Gujarat ATS studied at same UP madrassa

Muzaffarnagar: Two Uttar Pradesh youths recently arrested by the Gujarat ATS in connection with a wider probe into alleged terrorist activities in the country earlier studied together at a madrassa here, officials said on Thursday.

The arrested youths -- Azad Suleman Sheikh (20), a tailor from Jhinjhana town in Shamli district, and Mohammad Suhail Khan (23) from Lakhimpur Kheri -- were students at a madrassa in Budhana town, according to the madrassa management and police sources.

Speaking to PTI, Maulana Daud, the 'mohtamim' (head) of the Budhana madrassa, confirmed that the two youths studied 'Hafiz-e-Quran' (Quran memorisation) but left the madrassa long before their arrests.

"Azad Sheikh studied here from 2018 to 2019. He left when the madrassa was shut during the COVID-19 lockdown and never returned," Daud said.

"Suhail joined around three months ago for 'Hafiz' studies but left on November 5, citing his father's illness. He has not come back since then," he added.

The madrassa head clarified that the institution only imparts religious education and has "no connection whatsoever with any illegal or unlawful activity".

He said he came to know about the arrests of the two former students through media reports.

Sheikh's father, Suleman, a construction worker in Jhinjhana, told PTI that his son was "innocent" and that the family was unaware of how he ended up in Gujarat.

"My son had gone on a 40-day Tablighi Jamaat trip to West Bengal. Later, he told us he was going back to his madrassa, but he never reached there. We came to know about his arrest through the news," Suleman said.

Shamli Superintendent of Police (SP) N P Singh said the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad has taken Sheikh into custody for questioning and the Uttar Pradesh ATS is conducting a parallel inquiry into his background.

"No passport has been found in Sheikh's name. We are verifying his bank details and local connections as part of the investigation," the officer said.

Sheikh and Khan were arrested by the Gujarat ATS on November 8. Officials have not disclosed further details about the case, citing ongoing investigations.