Main accused in 2000 bus blast arrested

Police on Sunday arrested an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who is the main accused in the 2000 blast in a bus near here that killed two passengers and injured 15.

Police on Sunday arrested an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who is the main accused in the 2000 blast in a bus near here that killed two passengers and injured 15.

HT Image

Yusuf Mohammed was arrested from Nuh village in Mewat district of Haryana and brought to Agra in Uttar Pradesh later in the day in connection with the blast at Peeli Pokhar near Khandauli, around 20 km from here.

"Yusuf Mohammed had been to Pakistan five to six times for training and is an active member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba," Deputy Inspector General of Police Deepesh Juneja told reporters here, adding that some fake passports had also been recovered from him.

He said that Yusuf had several relatives in Pakistan and one of them had introduced him to Arif, who is closely connected with the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In March, 2000, Yusuf had planned to carry out a blast at a bus stand near Agra Fort, for which he carried out a rehearsal by planting a bomb in a bus which exploded at Peeli Pokhar. Some believe that it was not a rehearsal.

"The bomb for some reason exploded before reaching its target," a police official said.

The police is also investigating into what led the gram pradhan of Nuh village give in writing that Yusuf was dead.