Five fanatic Jihadis held in Coimbatore for allegedly ‘plotting’ to eliminate leaders of Hindu outfits.

Five Jihadis arrested from Tamilnadu in connection with conspiracy to kill Hindu leaders. They are believed to be inspired by ISIS doctrines.

B Upendran | HENB | Coimbatore | Sept 3, 2018:: The Special Investigation Unit of the Coimbatore police arrested five Muslim youth who had hatched a plot to murder Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) leader Arjun Sampath and Hindu Munnani leader Mookambikai Mani among others. Arjun Sampath’s son Omkar Balaji is also in the hit list of the Jihadis.

According to the police, R Ashik (25), I Jafar Sadiq Ali (29), S Ismail (25), S Samsudeen (20) and S Shalavuddin (25) were detained by the sleuths of Special Intelligence Unit at Coimbatore railway junction on Saturday afternoon.

Acting on a tip off, the police detained four people who arrived here from Chennai, on Saturday. Another person who had come to receive them was also picked up for questioning.

The police interrogated them for over 24 hours after which they were arrested and produced before Fast Track Court I. They have been remanded in judicial custody toll September 4.

Security to the leaders of the Hindu Munnani, Hindu Makkal Katchi, Sakthi Sena and allied outfits has been increased by the police, sources said. The conspiracy was unearthed after closely following their social media activities, the release added.

All the five were booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and conspiracy.  After interrogating them for over 24 hours, they were arrested and produced before Fast Track Court I and on the orders of the judge, were remanded in judicial custody till September 4.

Police have booked them under Sections 143 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 15,16,18,20 and 38 (ii) of the Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act 1967. A motorcycle, five machetes (aruval) and mobile phones were also seized from them.

A social media page was the only link between the four Chennai youth — Jafar Safiq Ali  of Vysarpadi, Ismail  of Tindivanam, Samsudeen  of Pallavaram and Shalavuddin of Pallavaram, and one Coimbatore boy — Ashik  of Variety Hall Road. And the alleged plan to murder HMK leader Arjun Sampath and son Omkar Balaji with another Hindu leader Mookambikai Mani.

Police believes that Ismail is an IS member and used to share information regarding the terrorist group on his Facebook page, the officer said. “The youth, who was running a wastepaper mart, is an IS sympathiser and an agent of the terrorist organisation. He was using his Facebook accounts—Niranthara Payanam and A Muslim Without Fear—to share IS-related information. He had sent a photo of him posing with his motorcycle carrying a sticker ‘State of India and Jammu & Kashmir’ to his friends,” the officer told HENB.

Sources privy to the investigation told HENB that the five had discussed ways to kill Arjun and had spread hatred against on social media, they had plans ready for Omkar as he was an easier target, given that the former had police protection. One of the five members was said to be a sympathiser of the Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir and a member of the banned terrorist organisation; two others from Chennai were members of political parties. Ashik was facing several cases, including kidnapping school girls, in the city. He had been under the radar of the city intelligence for his notorious activities but his radical activities had not come to light till now, sources added.

“Though these youth did not have any previous enmity with the leader, they were inspired by the IS module and other radical religious outfits and hatched a plot,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, there were claims that the four youth had come to Coimbatore to attend a wedding. However, police confirmed that they were not even invited to a wedding but had come to meet in person and find ways to kill the leader before the upcoming Vinayagar Chathurthi.

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__inputs from Agencies.