Burdwan blast: Kolkata STF arrests JMB operative in Kolkata

Manirul Islam, 42, was arrested from Kolkata’s APC Road.

Kolkata: Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) arrested a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operative on Friday in connection with the Burdwan blast case.

“One Manirul Islam aged 42 years hailing from Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district of West Bengal was arrested from Kolkata’s APC Road on Friday evening,” said a senior official of Kolkata Police.

West Bengal: Manirul Islam, a resident of Murshidabad was arrested from near Sealdah Railway station yesterday. Manirul Islam is a member of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). pic.twitter.com/k3Ykx4fygR — ANI (@ANI) February 9, 2019

STF officers reveal that Islam was an active JMB member since 2010.

He was very much acquainted with Maulana Yousuf, Ibrahim, who was recently arrested by Kolkata Police and Talha was arrested in Bangladesh.  Islam used to visit Mokimnagar Madrasa frequently and recruited locals and reportedly radicalized them. The recruits were later trained at the same Madrasa were arms training was imparted.

Just seven days ago, the STF had arrested another JMB operative Abdul Matin from Kerala who hailed from Assam’s Barpeta. He joined the JMB in 2010 when he used to study at the Madrasa.

On January 29, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had nabbed two Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) operatives from Bengal’s Hooghly district.

“NIA Kolkata arrested accused Kadar Kazi alias Kadoor, 32 years, from Arambagh Police Station area, district Hooghly, West Bengal. He was wanted in Burdwan blast case and was also declared as a proclaimed offender. His associate Sajjad Ali who was also involved in the activities of JMB has also been arrested in the late night operation yesterday. Both the accused are being produced before NIA spl court Kolkata today,” said an official release from the NIA.

Of the two arrested - Kader Kazi and Sajjad Ali, Kader was a close associate of Burdwan blast mastermind Kausar.

On October 2, 2014 ,an explosion was reported at Khagragarh in Burdwan district of West Bengal. Two JMB operatives died in the accidental blast while making bombs and a third one was seriously injured. The investigation in the explosion unearthed the JMB unit and sleeper cells active in the state.

Several arrests were made by the Bengal Police, however, the investigation was later handed over to NIA.