Jundal turned against India early in life, was part of SIMI

Sayyad Zabiuddin Sayyad Zakiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, lived in Beed, just about 395km east of Mumbai, but according to sources in the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), he never considered himself an Indian.

Sayyad Zabiuddin Sayyad Zakiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, lived in Beed, just about 395km east of Mumbai, but according to sources in the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), he never considered himself an Indian.

HT Image

An alleged handler of the 26/11 attackers, Jundal, 36, is the sole breadwinner of his family, including his parents and three sisters. He did a two-year electronics course from Beed’s Industrial Training Institute before enrolling in college.

“It was at college that Jundal became a fundamentalist. He joined the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI),” said Shiva Thakre, assistant police inspector, ATS, Aurangabad.

In 2006, Jundal fled to Pakistan via Bangladesh after the police caught an arms consignment in Aurangabad.

“Today, his family is living in extreme poverty in Beed,” said Thakre.

The family house at Kazi Darwaja, Hatti Khana in Dhanagar lane of Beed was, however, found locked on Monday. Neighbours said it had been locked for the past 15 to 20 days.

Police sources said after fleeing, Jundal wanted to destabilise the country. Hence, he participated in several blasts, including the one at Pune German Bakery in 2010.

The only son of an insurance agent father, Jundal also seems to have acted as an informer of security agencies. According to sources, he helped in the 2006 arms haul from Aurangabad.

But that was also the end of his association with security agencies, as Jundal was not seen again till his arrest by the special cell of Delhi police on June 21.