Cops 'identify' IM operatives behind Gaya blasts

Two absconding operatives of the Indian Mujahideen, who represent two of the home-grown terror outfit's deadliest known modules, were 'certainly' behind the Bodh Gaya blasts, the Delhi Police special cell has claimed. Jatin Anand reports.

Two absconding operatives of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), who represent two of the home-grown terror outfit's deadliest known modules, were 'certainly' behind the Bodh Gaya blasts, the Delhi Police special cell has claimed.

National-security-guards-inspect-the-site--a-day-after-the--serial-blasts-in-Mahabodhi-Temple-in-Bodh-Gaya-AP-Photo

Waqas alias Ahmed from the Maharashtra module and Asadullah Akhtar Haddi alias Tabrez from the Uttar Pradesh module have been evading arrest well before they allegedly planted bombs during the Mumbai serial blasts in July 2010.

The men then executed a similar, though unsuccessful bid at Pune in August 2012 and another bid in Delhi last year before they allegedly struck in Bodh Gaya instead, according to highly-placed sources.

"These men, who have received training at Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) camps in Pakistan, according to Syed Maqbool, one of the men arrested for the Pune serial blasts, are the only remaining IM bombers," said a senior officer.

While Haddi, who was allegedly involved in the Batla House encounter of 2008 has been on the run, Waqas was part of the infamous Aurangabad Arms Haul of 2006. "We have reached this conclusion after analysing undetonated improvised explosive devices recovered from Mumbai, Pune and Bodh Gaya. All had similar markings near their circuits.