NIA officer’s murder: Revenge for Yasin Bhatkal

NIA officer Tanzil Ahmad was the man who tracked down and took part in the sensational arrest of Yasin Bhatkal.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Tanzil Ahmad shot dead by two unidentified assailants in Bijnore in western Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Sunday, was the man who tracked down and took part in the sensational arrest of Yasin Bhatkal - the co founder of the banned terrorist organization 'Indian Mujahideen.'

Mr. Tanzil, (45), who was on deputation from the Border Security Force (BSF) to the NIA since its inception in 2009 was largely responsible for gathering and coordinating actionable Intelligence with other Central Intelligence agencies which led to Yasin's arrest from Raxaul in Bihar near the Indo-Nepal border in 2013.

“An NIA team had closed in on Yasin much before he was arrested from his hideout in Nahar Chowk in Raxual with the help of local police. Mr. Tanzil was a key member of the team, that was co-ordinating with the Intelligence wing of the Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB), posted on the Indo-Nepal border,” a source said.

“He was very sure about his moves and had mobilised the team, which ultimately led to the ultra's arrest from his hideout. It was because of his proficiency in Urdu and expertise in gathering ground Intelligence that he was deputed to the NIA,” said an officer on condition of anonymity, adding that he was not part of the investigation in the Pathankot airbase terror attack as was being reported.

Mr. Tanzil was fatally shot 24 times with a “sophisticated indigenous 9-mm bore pistol” near his house, when he was returning home after attending a family wedding. Yasin alias Mohammed Zarar Sidibapa is from Bhatkal in coastal Karnataka and was among the country’s top 10 most wanted fugitive-terrorists. He had unleashed terror in major cities in the country after his distant relatives and IM founder siblings Riyaz and Iqbal Shahbandari fled the country and sought shelter in Pakistan to escape arrest.