Banka, Nov. 21: Intelligence sources believe Mukhtar Ahmad (34), the Banka man Railway Protection Force arrested from Asansol railway station, may have terror links in Pakistan and other West Asia countries.

The RPF nabbed him from Asansol railway station on the night of November 19. They found in his possession videos related to ISI, extremist CDs, stamps in Urdu, visiting cards, photo copy of $10 lakh and some documents.

Banka district police, however, said they have no information about the development in Asansol. Banka superintendent of police (SP) Satya Prakash was not available for comment but a senior policeman said on condition of anonymity that neither the RPF nor any security agency had informed them about Mukhtar’s arrest. “We are ready to help the agencies concerned for a detailed probe,” the official said.

Suia residents said Mukhtar, who lived in Suia block of Banka district, had a suspicious character. They said when he was 10 years old he had gone to Mumbai and was associated with religious activities. He obtained the degree of Hafiz Kari. In 2003, he married Gulshan Khatun and has three children. He was unemployed and his wife stays with her parents. They recalled Mukhtar had a poultry farm at his house but left for Bengal in July or August.

According to family members, he told his wife he had got the job of a maulvi at Atrifa Madarsa in Burnpur and was being paid Rs 6,000 monthly. “But he did not send any money to his wife and kids because of which she moved to stay with her parents,” a Suia resident said. But the residents were unaware of Mukhtar’s arrest.

An intelligence source said they were alarmed by the documents and CDs recovered from Mukhtar. “Investigating agencies are likely to visit Suia and other parts of Banka for a detailed study. Since the matter is sensitive, we are not supposed to talk much,” the intelligence source said.