Delhi police says terrorists planned 20 blasts in Delhi

New Delhi, Sept 21 : Delhi Police on Sunday claimed that the terror module was planning to explode at least 20 bombs in several places in the national capital, including Nehru Place.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal told media persons here today, "The Indian Mujahideen militants were planning to strike terror by exploding bombs in Nehru Place, a locality which houses several multi-storeyed buildings, and other parts of the capital."

Early on Sunday morning, Zia-ur-Rehman, Shakir Nishar and Mohammad Shakil were arrested from Jamia Nagar, the locality where two terrorists, including the main man Atif were killed in a gun battle with police on Friday.

Police also arrested Abdul Rehman, the caretaker of Batla House where the terrorists were residing on charges of cheating and forgery. Rehman, the father of Zia, allegedly forged the signature of the owner of the house. The encounter had taken place in Batla house.

Police, during the interrogation of Mohammad Saif and Zeeshan who were arrested on Friday, claimed that they told investigators that Shakeel had planted the bomb in Gaffar market in Karol Bagh.

"Zia and Shakeel planted bombs in the Maninagar area in the heart of Ahmedabad during the July 26 serial blasts," said Dhaliwal.

Dhaliwal also said that Shakil was a student of Jamia University where he was pursuing second year MA (Economics), while Zia was a student of third year BA in the same institution. Nishar was doing an MBA course through distant education mode from Sikkim Manipal University.

Shakil was an ideologue who indoctrinated the other members and kept a watch on them in the absence of Atif, while Zia provided logistics support to the group.

"The terrorists planted bombs in the evening to cause maximum casualty," Dhaliwal said, and added that the terrorists used to wrap the bombs in two polythene covers.

Atif, the mastermind, asked them to put garbage in the polythene bags so that no body would suspect them, he added.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police also revealed that the Indian Mujahideen had planned serial blasts in Goa, which was to be the next target of the ultras.

On Saturday, the Delhi Police had claimed that they have uncovered the conspiracy behind the attacks in New Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad saying terrorists of Indian Mujahideen and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in league with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba carried them out.

ANI