'Top bomb maker': Indian Mujahideen terrorist behind 2008 Gujarat blasts arrested

NEW DELHI: Abdul Subhan Qureshi, alias Touqeer – the man behind 2008 Gujarat serial blast – has been arrested by security forces after a decade-long hunt.  A member of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM), Qureshi has been on India's most wanted terrorists' list for a long time. 

A top bomb maker of the world, Qureshi has been nicknamed as India's Osama bin Laden. He's also suspected to be behind the 2006 Mumbai train bombings. The Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested Qureshi following a brief exchange of fire, reported news agency ANI. 

Qureshi, a top commander of the banned terror outfit SIMI, had helped launch the Indian Mujahedeen (IM) with the help of other militants.

He is also allegedly involved in various terror-related cases being probed by Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra police forces.

"We have arrested India most wanted terrorist Abdul Subhan Qureshi who is also the founder of Indian Mujahideen. He was again trying to revive Indian Mujahideen," said Deputi Commissioner of Police Pramod Kushwaha, Special Cell. 

"Abdul Subhan Qureshi was living with forged documents in Nepal. He came back to India to revive Indian Mujahideen," he further added.

On 26 July 2008, a series of 21 bomb blasts rocked Ahmedabad city, in a span of 70 minutes. Nearly 56 people were killed and over 200 people injured. 

On 11 July 2006, a series of seven blasts took place in 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai. Over 200 people were killed and at least 700 injured.