NIA arrests two suspected Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen operatives in connection with Burdwan blast case

One of the arrested is a close associate of blast mastermind Kausar and is suspected to be involved in Bodh Gaya blast.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two suspected Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) operatives from Bengal’s Hooghly district on late Monday night.

“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 special court Kolkata today,” said an official release from the NIA.

Both the accused have been brought to Kolkata from Hooghly district and will be produced before the NIA Special court on Tuesday in the city.

Kazi is a close associate of Burdwan blast mastermind Kausar.

According to sources in the NIA, Sajjad Ali was in charge of recruiting people for the JMB and Kader Kazi was an expert in ammunition and explosives. During the Burdwan blast, Kazi had accompanied Kausar to purchase explosives from Kolkata. Both Sajjad Ali and Kader Kazi used to raise funds for this JMB unit.

Sleuths suspect that Kader had also played an important role in supporting Kausar in the Bodh Gaya blast.

On October 2, 2014, an explosion was reported at Khagragarh in Burdwan district of West Bengal. Two JMB operatives died in the blast while making bombs while 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, investigation was later handed over to NIA.