A former paramilitary force man, 55-year-old Bal Bahadur Thapa alias Abdullah, is apparently Indian Mujahideen’s key man in Nepal. A close associate of IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, he has been under the scanner for some time.
The name of Abdullah, a former Assam Rifles jawan, was revealed during interrogation of Bhatkal, who had been hiding in Nepal since 2010 before he was arrested on August 28, 2013. Abdullah had been instrumental in setting up an IM module and indoctrinating youth from around Pokhara and Kathmandu. He is also suspected to have a role in the Bodh Gaya blasts which took place in July.
But it is not clear whether Abdullah has been arrested or detained. “I can neither confirm nor deny this as we don’t have any information about an Indian Mujahideen operative arrested within Nepal by our organisation,” said its spokesman Ganesh KC.
Over the last decade, several terror modules have been set up in Nepal and the country has been used as a transit route to India by Pakistan-supported terrorists. Several terrorists have been picked up from Nepal too (see box). Besides, the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI has also been using Nepal to pump in fake currency, arms and drugs into India.
It is understood that though the Nepal police are fully cooperating with the Indian security agencies, they do not want to be a part of what they see as an essentially Indian problem.
{{/usCountry}}It is understood that though the Nepal police are fully cooperating with the Indian security agencies, they do not want to be a part of what they see as an essentially Indian problem.
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