Delhi Police has issued an alert to its officers after a purported video of chief of Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) Maulana Asim Umar surfaced post-Dhaka attack, exhorting Indian Muslims for lone wolf attacks on IAS and IPS officers.
The alert, issued recently by Special Cell of Delhi Police, asked the officials to take "adequate precautionary" steps for their "personal safety" and "sensitisation" of their staff including drivers and wireless operators deployed with them.
It also said in view of "committed cadre" of AQIS, a security review of the residential colonies and offices of the senior officers needs to be undertaken on "urgent" basis.
Maulana Umar, native of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, was made chief of AQIS by Ayman al Zawahiri in 2014. Promotion of Maulana Umar, whose original name is Sanaul Haq, was declared by Zawahiri through a video message.
Confirming the development, a senior Delhi Police officer said that the alert was a part of the exercise undertaken in all the states following inputs from the central intelligence agencies.
US-based SITE Intelligence Group, an unofficial terror watch body, cited Maulana Umar of inciting Indian Muslims to kill senior administrative and police officers (IAS and IPS) for incidents against Muslims in India.
Sources said Sanaul Haq left India for joining Jihadi groups in Pakistan in 1999 and is now active in expanding base of the AQIS in the subcontinent.
