A man linked to the Pakistani terrorist organization Khalifa was arrested at Chennai International Airport while attempting to travel to Sri Lanka. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken him into custody for further investigation.
The arrested individual, Mohammed Zakriya, originally hails from Pakistan and has been residing in India for the past 25 years. He first settled in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, before moving to Hanamkonda, Warangal district, Telangana, where he has been living for the last 20 years. Zakriya is known to operate a food business in Warangal—Royal Bawarchi Biryani.
He is said to have converted 10–12 individuals to the Khalifa and operated several businesses, including three to four biryani centers in Warangal and Hanamkonda. In addition, he owned 16 auto-trolley vehicles used for selling sweets (Kovas) and ice creams in various local neighborhoods.
Authorities believe Zakriya is the Indian head of the Khalifa terrorist outfit. His arrest comes in the wake of the recent death of Khalifa’s leader, following which he was reportedly traveling to Sri Lanka to attend a gathering meant to elect a new leader. The NIA intercepted him at Chennai airport before he could board his flight.
Zakriya lived in Hanumankonda with his two brothers and has two wives and ten children. Investigators are now probing his activities, network, and deeper connections with the Pakistani-based terror group Khalifa. The NIA is currently interrogating him under custody.
The Khalifa organization, originally established by a Pakistani national who recently passed away, is in the process of electing a new leader, which led to Zakariya’s travel. Authorities intercepted him at Chennai Airport, where they discovered literature associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, an entity believed to have an influence on minority communities in India.
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