NIA hunts for Hyderabad blast suspects in Kolkata

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the recent Hyderabad blasts, has procured photographs of four terrorists of suspects from the Mumbai Police and has sent them over to the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police. The four, the NIA believes could be hiding in the city.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the recent Hyderabad blasts, has procured photographs of four terrorists of suspects from the Mumbai Police and has sent them over to the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police. The four, the NIA believes could be hiding in the city.

HT Image

“The four are Mohammed Ahmed, alias Yasin Bhatkal, Tahaseen Akhtar, alias Hasan, Asadullah Akhtar, alias Tabrez, and Waqas, alias Ahmed. All of them are involved in the July 2011 Mumbai blast and the terror strike in Pune in August 2012. They are all members of Indian Mujahideen (IM),” an SIT officer told HT on condition of anonymity.

The Hyderabad blasts that claimed 17 lives came within a fortnight of Afzal Guru’s execution. Initial inquiry has confirmed that IM operatives are behind the strikes. After scanning the CCTV footage at the blast site, an NIA team visited Kolkata and tried to get sketches of some of the suspects done, but due to the grainy photos, the artist could not do a good job.

“Among the suspects, Tabrez, a resident of Azamgarh in UP, and Hasan, who hails from Samastipur in Bihar, are believed to be the mastermind of the blast,” said the STF officer.

The Hyderabad blasts were discussed at a meeting last Friday between NIA officers and sleuths of Kolkata Police. The state CID was also roped in to help in the investigations at the Kolkata end. “According to the information we have, the four suspects could have come down to the city,” the STF officer added.