JeM terrorist tasked with killing Nupur Sharma arrested

Lucknow: The Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday arrested an alleged terrorist linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, who was tasked with carrying out a 'fidayeen' attack on suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

Accused Mohammad Nadeem (25) is a native of Kunda Kala village under Gangoh police station area in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said in a statement.

The ADGP claimed that the police recovered chats and voice messages from Nadeem's phone and these messages were traced to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Two SIM cards and literature on preparing various kinds bombs were also recovered from him. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at ATS police station in Lucknow, the statement said.

During interrogation, Nadeem admitted that he was in direct contact with JeM since 2018 and that the outfit had invited him over to Pakistan and Syria for special training, the statement said, adding he had been waiting for a visa.

Nupur Sharma's comments against Prophet Mohammad during a television debate in May had sparked outrage and protests across the country and abroad, prompting the BJP to suspend her as its national spokesperson. She had received several death threats too.