Yasin Bhatkal`s close aide Asadullah Akhtar also held

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The security agencies on Thursday managed to nab a top operative of the militant outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) along with its co-founder and mastermind of several blasts, Yasin Bhatkal, in a joint operation from the Indo-Nepal border. As per reports, the arrested IM operative has been identified as Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, who is believed to be a close aide of Yasin Bhatkal and a prominent bomb planter of the terror outfit. Asadullah Akhtar is believed to be involved in Zaveri Bazaar blast in Mumbai. He is also believed to have played a major role in all blasts carried out by the IM. His arrest comes minutes after the IM founder Yasin Bhatkal was nabbed by the security agencies from the Indo-Nepal border late Wednesday. The development was confirmed by the Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. Bhatkal is currently under the custody of Bihar Police. The arrest of Bhatkal and Akhtar is a major breakthrough by the Indian security agencies, which have been trying hard to foil the IM`s dreaded terror module and sleeper cells in India. Following their arrest, a DNA test would be conducted on them to conclusively ascertain their identities.