Bengaluru Church Street blasts: Hunt for SIMI member intensified

Bengaluru, July 25: The National Investigation Agency which has put up a bounty of Rs 10 lakh each on the three SIMI members is hopeful of cracking several cases including the Bengaluru Church Street blasts. NIA officials tell OneIndia that the role of the these SIMI activists is suspected in a series of cases.

These are the same members who had made an escape from the Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh almost two years back. Two members were killed in an encounter in Telangana recently while the other three remain at large.

Where are these SIMI members?

There has been a massive manhunt for these members since they escaped from jail. Recent intelligence reports suggest that they are very much in South India and could have visited Bengaluru recently.

The NIA says that these persons have shuttled between the states of South India, but have concentrated more on Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

However after their two accomplices died in an encounter at Telangana, the three others have stayed away from acts of terror. They are probably undergoing a cooling off period, NIA officials say.

The Central, State Intelligence Bureau and the National Investigation Agency are working in tandem to ensure that these persons are nabbed. In addition to this the NIA has also sought the assistance of the general public for any information that could lead up to these persons. The NIA has promised a reward of Rs 10 lakh each on these persons.

Who are these SIMI activists?

The NIA has listed the three persons as hardcore activists of the SIMI. Ajmad Khan alias Daud, Salik alias Sallu and Zakir alias Sadiq are the three persons who figure on the most wanted list of the NIA.

The NIA says that theseaccused persons are hardcore SIMI activists. They escaped from Khandwa Jail, Madhya Pradesh on October 1 2013. Besides the Bijnaur Blast case they are also involved in many heinous cases like bank robberies, murder and other cases at Madhya Pradesh and other parts of the country.

Their role is suspected in the Pune Bomb Blast case in August 2014, Chennai Train Bomb Blast case on May 1 2014, Karim Nagar, Andhra Pradesh bank robbery case on February 2 2014 and also the Bengaluru Church Street blasts case in December 2014.

OneIndia News