October 31, 2013
RANCHI: Indian Mujahideen's Ranchi module was formed to assassinate Narendra Modi. In fact, IM operatives had given a code- 'Machhli 5'- to the plotters for the job, initial interrogation of arrested IM operative Imtiaz Ansari revealed.
October 31, 2013
RANCHI: Indian Mujahideen's Ranchi module was formed to assassinate Narendra Modi. In fact, IM operatives had given a code- 'Machhli 5'- to the plotters for the job, initial interrogation of arrested IM operative Imtiaz Ansari revealed.
Interrogation of arrested IM operative Imtiaz Ansari has revealed that Ranchi module was formed to kill Modi.
Sources said the accused planted 18 bombs in and around Gandhi Maidan, the venue of Modi's rally on Sunday, to ensure a stampede-like situation. The assassination bid, however, failed because the plotters of the newly-formed IM's Ranchi module were new recruits and could not execute the task very well, they said. Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has already claimed that Modi was the target of the terrorists. Modi is on the hit list of all terror outfits, including IM, the outfit's co-founder Yasin Bhatkal had told NIA.
Ranchi city SP Manoj Ratan Chothe, who interrogated key suspect Imtiaz Ansari in Patna said, "Imtiaz was full of hatred against Modi for the 2002 Gujarat riots and the recent Muzaffarnagar riots. The IM used Muslim fundamentalists to prepare Imtiaz to avenge the riots." Chothe declined to divulge details of the interrogation.
IM had provided high-intensity explosives (nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose and plastic test tubes) to six youths in Ranchi. "After preliminary preparations at Imtiaz's house, they boarded a Patna-bound bus with the explosives in their backpacks on the eve of Modi's 'Hunkar' rally. There they planted bombs in and around Gandhi Maidan including the main entrance," Ranchi zonal IG MS Bhatia said.
Of the six suspects, Imtiaz was arrested on the day of the blast from Patna railway station whereas his cousin, Tarik alias Ainul Ansari, was injured. The third suspect, Zubair Ahmed, was arrested by NIA from Ranchi on Wednesday. Three are still at large and raids are on to nab them.
DGP Rajiv Kumar declined to comment, saying, "The case has been transferred to NIA. The Jharkhand police is not investigating it."
Preliminary reports suggest that Imtiaz wanted to go to Gandhi Maidan. "After reaching Patna by bus, the boys went to the railway station where they wanted to mingle with the crowd heading for the rally," ADGP S N Pradhan said. Sources said Imtiaz had been frequently mentioning the role of Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu during interrogation. Tehseen is said to be leading the IM after the arrest of Yasin Bhatkal.
Courtesy: TNN
