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Family members of Manzar Imam protest against his arrest in Ranchi on Monday. Picture by Prashant Mitra
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Bariatu has gone into a state of shock after local lad Manzar Imam was picked up by sleuths for his alleged terror links from the outskirts of the state capital on Sunday night.
The residents, many of who visited Manzar’s family on Monday, can hardly believe that he had connection with banned outfits like Indian Mujahideen (IM) and Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), suspected to be behind several acts of terror, including the recent Hyderabad blasts.
“I know Manzar since his childhood. He is intelligent. His father is the Sadar of Bariatu Masjid Committee and a nice gentleman. I could have never imagined that he had connection with terrorists. I have come to meet his father, who is shocked and his mother, who is a kidney patient,” said a neighbour.
The resident, however, did not want to be named. “The matter is serious and I don’t want to come in the picture though I know that the youth, who weighs just 41kg, cannot be a terrorist,” he added.
Manzar’s younger brother Nazar Imam was busy talking to visitors. “No court can punish my brother. I have full faith in the Almighty. I will go to Ernakulam in Kerala (where the National Investigation Agency team took him) and bring my brother back safely. He has been falsely implicated in the case,” he was heard telling those who had assembled at their house.
Nazar, however, could not explain why his brother, who was wanted by police for a considerable period of time now, did not surrender before if he was indeed innocent. “Who knows what would have happened to him if had surrendered. Several people, who have surrendered before the court, are languishing in jail,” he said.
Stressing that his brother was innocent, he said: “When the NIA team had first come to the city in July 2011, I had arranged a meeting between it and Manzar. If my brother had committed any crime, why did not the team arrest him then? Why did not they attach our property earlier in August and December when they had come here to search for my brother,” he asked.
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