Mumbai, April 26: Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian national accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has denied any role in the conspiracy during his interrogation by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

According to senior officials, Rana, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi, was questioned for over eight hours by a team of Mumbai Police officers.

During the interrogation, Rana distanced himself from the attacks that claimed over 166 lives and injured hundreds on November 26, 2008.

Rana reportedly told investigators that he had “no connection whatsoever” with the planning or execution of the attack.

He also claimed that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects.

Headley, who turned approver in the case, had earlier admitted to conducting recce missions across India, including in Mumbai, on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

During questioning, Rana said that apart from Mumbai and Delhi, he had also travelled to Kerala.

When asked about the purpose of his visit to Kerala, he claimed he had gone there to meet a known acquaintance and had provided the individual’s name and address to the agency.

Following this, sources said a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch may soon travel to Kerala to verify his claims and question the said person.

Officials revealed that Rana was largely uncooperative during the interrogation and frequently gave evasive answers.

He also cited memory lapses, stating that he was unable to recall specific details related to the attack that occurred over 17 years ago.

The interrogation is part of an ongoing probe by the NIA into the extensive three-year groundwork carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) prior to the Mumbai terror attacks.

Rana is also being questioned about his alleged links to several individuals whose names surfaced in intercepted communications, including Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, Sajid Majid, Ilyas Kashmiri, and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi — all of whom are believed to have played crucial roles in the 26/11 conspiracy.

Rana, a former officer of the Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps, was extradited to India from the United States recently to face justice in the Mumbai attack case.

Srinagar, April 26: Houses of three active terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were demolished in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts, officials said on Saturday.

Officials said that the house of the terrorist, Ehsan-ul-Haq Sheikh, was destroyed in Muran village of the Pulwama district late Friday evening.

In Kulgam district, in a similar action, the house of terrorist Zakir Ahmad Ganie was demolished in Matalhama village. He has been an active terrorist since 2003.

In the Shopian district, the house of terrorist Shahid Ahmad Kutay was also demolished in Chotipora village. He has been an active terrorist since 2002.

On Friday, the houses of two terrorists, Asif Ahmad Sheikh Tral and Adil Thoker Bijbhera, were demolished after their involvement in the Pahalgam attack surfaced.

In his first reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the terrorists, their handlers and backers would be given such punishment which they could not even have imagined.

PM Modi said that India will hunt down terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack to the ends of the earth.

J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, while reviewing security with Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi, asked the security forces to use whatever force is required to hunt down the killers of innocent civilians in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on April 22.

A massive search operation assisted with technology using drones, helicopters, etc has been going on for the last six days to trace and hunt down the terrorists responsible for the killings of innocent civilians.

As the country prepares to take required kinetic and diplomatic steps to ensure that attacks like this do not get repeated, security across Jammu and Kashmir has been tightened following intelligence reports that terrorists could target soft targets like minority Kashmiri Pandits and non-locals working in the Valley, the officials said.

Jaipur, April 26: Tension continued to prevail outside the historic Jama Masjid in Johari Bazaar, Jaipur, following a dispute over the placement of posters.

The incident late Friday night led to a large gathering at Badi Chaupad, with people from a particular group raising slogans.

Prompt intervention by the Jaipur Commissionerate Police helped to pacify the immediate situation.

The incident occurred against the backdrop of nationwide condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

According to officials, the tension started when Hawamahal MLA Balmukundacharya allegedly pasted posters outside the Jama Masjid and in surrounding areas — the footpath near Badi Chaupad, Ramganj market, and public toilets.

Eyewitnesses reported that MLA Balmukundacharya arrived near the Jama Masjid around 8.30 p.m. with his supporters, carrying anti-Pakistan posters.

Locals alleged that he acted disrespectfully towards the mosque and the posters. After pasting the posters, the MLA left the area, after which a significant number of people congregated, demanding his arrest.

Responding swiftly, the police deployed a heavy force to manage the escalating tension.

DCP Rashi Dogra and other senior police officials reached the scene. As a precautionary measure, additional police personnel were called in to maintain order.

The Jama Masjid Committee registered an FIR against MLA Balmukundacharya at the Manakchowk police station, accusing him of inciting religious sentiments.

Following the news of the FIR being filed, the crowd that had gathered gradually dispersed.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs Rafiq Khan and Amin Kagzi also reached the Police Commissionerate.

Appeals were made from the mosque urging people to return home, assuring them that an FIR had been registered. However, many insisted on the immediate arrest of Balmukundacharya, threatening to hold their afternoon prayers at the site if no action was taken by Saturday.

The posters in question reportedly contained the message, “Who says terrorism does not have a religion?” The poster also showcased a bearded man.

Those gathered alleged that this was deliberately intended to hurt religious sentiments.

When contacted, MLA Balmukundacharya stated that the posters only conveyed messages against Pakistan and terrorism.

He claimed that no religious sentiments were hurt and that the posters were placed at various locations, including near the Badi Chaupad Ganesh Temple and Sulabh toilets.

“Those who dislike Pakistan could show their sentiment by stepping on the stickers with their footwear, while those who felt otherwise were free to remove them.”

Initial reports suggest that the initial gathering began around 10 p.m., with people from one side protesting and putting up posters near Badi Chaupad. This was soon followed by a counter-gathering, leading to a dispute between the two groups.

The police intervened promptly, deploying additional forces to control the situation.

Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph and Additional Police Commissioner Rameshwar Singh were among the senior officers who reached the spot to manage the situation.

MLA Rafiq Khan commented that the protest was not limited to one community but represented the sentiments of the entire society against terrorism. He said that the FIR has been registered.