Russian markings on hand grenades seized from suspected terrorist

Panaji, Mar 11 (UNI) Arms seized from suspected terrorist Tariq Ahmed Battlo alias Tariq Jalal, who was arrested last evening from the Nizamuddin-Margao 'Mangala Express' at Margao Railway Station in Goa, are possibly of Russian origin, police today said.

Top police sources told UNI that one kg RDX was also seized alongwith with two detonators besides the two grenades, which have Russian markings on them. Some compact discs and a digital camera were also recovered from him.

''We are trying to find out the origin of the explosives and the targets. In this background, we have tightened security in all vulnerable areas in Goa and sounded a high alert,'' the sources said.

The suspect, reportedly belongs to a little-known terrorist outfit 'Tehrik-ul-Muzahideen', based at Muzfarabad in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). He stayed there for two years before sneaking into India.

Meanwhile, State Director General of Police Neeraj Kumar said the suspect would be produced before a local court in Margao to seek his remand to facilitate further investigation.

Preliminary interrogations have also revealed that Tariq had received training in POK and had visited Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. He had been living in a rented accommodation at Margao since July last. The landlady is also being interrogated for more details.

Under the local law, the house-owner has to submit details of any tenant to the concerned police station for clearance so that the antecedents of the tenants, particularly those from outside Goa, could be verified.

Efforts were also underway to find out whether Tariq was associated with the bomb blasts in Varanasi. His hand in the recent disturbances in Sanvorden-Curchorem was, however, ruled out.

The Goa police laid their hands on some suspected terrorists with inputs from the Central Intelligence Bureau before the last Christmas following general alert in all states for movement of suspected terrorists, the DGP added.

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