Hizbul Mujaheedin
Hizbul Mujaheedin terrorist Qamar-uz-Zaman. File photo

Assam Special Director General of Police (Special Branch) Pallab Bhattacharya on Sunday informed that Assam Police had brought Hizbul Mujahideen operative Qamar-uz-Zaman under its custody on Saturday for interrogation.

“We brought Zaman to interrogate for some days. We will hand him over to Uttar Pradesh Police on October 10 next for their investigation purpose,” Bhattacharya said.

Zaman was arrested by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh on September 13 last.

Talking to media persons, Bhattacharya said that the police would also follow up the case on the basis of Zaman’s statement during interrogation.

Meanwhile, Bhattacharya emphasised the need to modernise and upgrade the strategies of Assam Police to cope up with insurgency problems keeping in view the recent activities by operatives across the state.

However, Bhattacharya claimed that the state police department has succeeded to control unwanted situations recently under Unified Command Structure to some extent.

Bhattacharya also stressed formation of Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to deal with insurgency problems.

According to information, Zaman, who allegedly planned to expand the network of Hizbul Mujahideen in Assam, stayed in one Riyazuddin Bhuyan’s house at Bandura Aati at Kasua in Hojai when he visited the state in August this year.

Bhuyan was arrested from Kasua while two others – Jainal Ahmed and Baharul Islam – have been arrested from Jamunamukh in Hojai on September 17.

The other associates of Zaman who have also been arrested by police are Shahnewas Alom, Omar Farooq, Saidul Alom and Saiful Islam.