AMU suspends research scholar suspected of joining terror group
RAID UP police raid Mannan Wani’s room at AMU’s Habib Hall, seize literature
ALIGARH : The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) suspended Kashmiri research scholar Mannan Wani, 26, on Monday and constituted an inquiry committee, following reports that he had joined the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen on January 5. UP police also raided Wani’s room at Habib Hall in the presence of AMU proctor Prof M Mohsin Khan.
ALIGARH: The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) suspended Kashmiri research scholar Mannan Wani, 26, on Monday and constituted an inquiry committee, following reports that he had joined the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen on January 5.
UP police also raided Wani’s room at Habib Hall in the presence of AMU proctor Prof M Mohsin Khan. The cops seized the literature recovered from the room and then sealed it.
Later, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Pandey told media persons, “The literature found in room no 237 (of Habib Hall, AMU) has been seized for further investigation. University proctor and other officials were present during the raid.”
The SSP said that Wani was on AMU campus till January 2, 2018. “After that he went missing. His family lodged a missing person complaint on January 5. The police and intelligence agencies have been scrutinising Wani’s activities and his contacts in Aligarh. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also probing the matter,” he said.
SP (city) Atul Srivastva also confirmed that as the matter was related to national security, the NIA and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) were investigating it. “The Aligarh police will cooperate with them and report to them,” he said.
Wani’s picture, in which he is seen posing with an assault rifle, went viral on social media soon after his disappearance.
Reportedly, the police is working to find out if the photograph is genuine.
Meanwhile AMU proctor said, “Mannan Wani was a research student of Applied Geology at the university. We suspended him following reports that he had joined Hizbul Mujahideen. A committee will look into his activities - both in the department and outside. AMU vice-chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor is taking a very serious view of this matter.”
AMUSU president Mashkoor Ahmad Usmani said the student union would support all steps taken by the varsity administration in the matter.
“No anti-national activity will be accepted on our campus. We have zero tolerance for such incidents. If Mannan Wani is found involved in anti-national activities, stern action must be taken against him,” he said.
Sources said the NIA team reached Aligarh on Saturday night to work on the case. At the time, the AMU campus was buzzing with the news of an armed Wani’s photograph making rounds on social media.
WANI’S PICTURE, IN WHICH HE IS SEEN POSING WITH AN ASSAULT RIFLE, WENT VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA SOON AFTER HIS DISAPPEARANCE