Indian police arrest two in NIA officer’s murder

LAHORE: Indian police have handcuffed two young men -- both aged between 20 and 25 years -- for the murder of the 45-year old National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Tanzil Ahmed, though the main accused is still on the run.

Tanzil was investigating a host of terror cases including some against suspected IS sympathisers. According to India's NDTV, which had quoted the Bareilly Police, Tanzil Ahmed was likely to have been killed over a personal grouse -- one of the killers was unhappy as he did not get help from the officer regarding a case.

The media house has quoted Vijay Meena, Bareilly's Inspector General, as saying: "During interrogation, it was revealed that Reyaan had sought help from Tanzeel ji in a case. But he was frustrated as the officer denied help."

The widely-watched Indian television channel has reported: "Mr Ahmed was shot dead on April 3 by two men on a bike as he was on way home in Uttar Pradesh's Shahaspur after attending a wedding. His wife, who was with him, was injured and is still fighting for life. The police said one of the arrested men, Reyaan, was driving the bike. His accomplice, Muneer, who fired the shots, is yet to be arrested. The police have announced an award of Rs50,000 for information on him."

The news channel has quoted Reyaan, who was presented before the media, as saying: "Muneer knows the real motive but his (Tanzil Ahmad's) behaviour towards us wasn't nice." The other arrested man, Zainul, had stated: "I had no enmity towards Tanzil Ahmed, abetted Muneer out of friendship."