Punjab police has arrested an alleged member of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen from Amritsar and recovered around Rs 29 lakh from his possession. The arrest comes amid reports of terror outfits getting active in the state even as the police force is busy tackling coronavirus crisis and maintaining curfew in the state.

According to Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta, the arrested person is identified as Hilal Ahmed Wagay, a native of Pulwama in Kashmir. He was nabbed by Amritsar Commissionerate Police.

The accused has been booked under Sections 10, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20 and 21 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2012 at Amritsar Sadar police station.

“The preliminary investigation has revealed that Hilal was sent by Riyaz Ahmed Naiku, chief of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir, to collect money from an unidentified person from near the metro mart in Amritsar. The money was delivered to him by an unidentified man,” said Gupta.

A senior investigation officer told THE WEEK that the police suspected Hilal was sent to the state with a cross border mission and the money was to fund the same.

“We are still in process of initial interrogation and have got some major leads. Owing to sensitivity of the issue, we cannot reveal much. The accused may have some more associates lurking around and would be here to reap benefit of the corona chaos and carry out a mission. We are coordinating with Kashmir police also to get some more leads on him and the terror outfit,” said the official.