Police investigation focus on city link

Hyderabad, Oct 14 (UNI) The focus of the investigation by Rajasthan police, who arrived here yesterday, and their counterparts in the city now mainly centered on a possible Hyderabad connection to Thursday's blast at the Shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi in Ajmer.

Talking to UNI here today, City Police Commissioner Balwinder Singh said investigation was on about the reported similarities between Thursday's Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast and the May 18 explosion in Mecca Masjid here.

Mr Balwinder said a police team from Rajasthan headed by a DIG reached here and met him for the investigation and to look into the city's possible 'link with the Ajmer incident. The team would be here for another two days. The team was also working with the Special Investigation Cell that had been investigating the Mecca Masjid blast.

During the stay, the team would collect details of the terrorist strikes and modules reported in the state earlier. The team is likley to question 18 youngsters recently held by the city police on charge of conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks.

The Hyderabad-link was further strengthened after the unexploded bomb in Ajmer was found wrapped in a Telugu Daily.

Asked about any possible involvement of Syed Saleem, who died in the Ajmer blast, the Commissioner said the police had no details on the alleged role of Mr Saleem.

He said different links of investigations were in progress.

Nothing could be added conclusively about Mr Saleem's at this juncture, he added.

The Rajasthan team and Special Investigation Cell officials would question the family members of Mr Saleem for details and the city police would check whether he had any criminal record or links with terror elements.

UNI