Indian Mujahideen top operatives Yasin Bhatkal, Akhtar arrested
Indian Mujahideen co-founder and mastermind of several blasts, Yasin Bhatkal, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency from the Indo-Nepal border.
Written By Ajith Vijay Kumar|Last Updated: Aug 29, 2013, 12:30 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: Indian Mujahideen co-founder and mastermind of several blasts, Yasin Bhatkal, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency from the Indo-Nepal border.
Confirming the arrest on Thursday, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Bhatkal was arrested yesterday night from the Indo-Nepal border. Shinde said that Bhatkal was currently under the custody of Bihar Police.
The Home Minister added that a DNA test would be conducted to conclusively ascertain Yasin Bhatkal’s identity.
Another IM leader Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi was reportedly picked up along with 30-year-old Bhatkal.
Bhatkal, whose real name is Ahmed Siddibappa, was one of the most wanted men in India as he is believed to be the backbone of the IM network. Operating under various aliases - Mohammad Zarrar, Ahmed, Imran, Asif and Shahrukh – Bhatkal was the only IM founder member who was operating in the country.
A native of Bhatkal town near Mangalore in Karnataka, he along with his cousins Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal had formed the IM. Both Riyaz and Iqbal are said to be hold up in Pakistan.
Riyaz Bhatkal is believed to have played an active part in almost all terror attacks by the IM including the Hyderabad, Banglore and Pune blasts. Infact, he was caught on the CCTV camera of the German Bakery in Pune when he personally went there to plant the bomb.
In Delhi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed the arrest. Bhatkal carried a reward of Rs 10 lakhs for his arrest.
As per reports, intelligence agencies got his trail during the probe into the serial blasts at Mahabodhi temple in Gaya last month. Some other reports suggested that Bhatkal was arrested based on the informations provided by arrested Lashkar-e-Toiba bomb maker Abdul Karim Tunda.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.