Bengaluru blasts: The Kerala-Pakistan-Bangladesh link under scanner

Bengaluru, Oct 12: The Central Crime Branch, which is investigating the Bengaluru serial blasts case of 2008 says that the accused they arrested from Kerala had links with Pakistan based terror groups.

Ten years after the blast, the CCB arrested Abdul Saleem, 41 from Kannur in Kerala. The investigators accuse him of planting one of the seven bombs in Bengaluru on July 25 2008. Several persons were injured in the explosions, while one lady lost her life.

The police say that Saleem was in touch with a top Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative Wani alias Rehan, a Pakistan national. Rehan is a key player in the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and is based out of Faisalbad in Pakistan.

He was also in touch with other terror groups such as the HuJI, based out of Bangladesh, investigating officials told OneIndia. Apart from planting the bombs, Saleem is alleged to have taken part in the several meetings in the run up to the blasts. Prior to planting the bomb at Madivala, he drove around the others who planted the bombs in other locations, the investigations have also shown.

Immediately after the blasts, he fled to Kerala from where he made his way into the Gulf. He stayed in the Gulf for a long time to evade arrest. However when he landed in Kerala, the CCB got wind of it, following which a team went to the state to arrest him.

The police are probing to find out what role did the likes of Wani or Indian Mujahideen Chief Riyaz Bhatkal, based in Pakistan play in the serial blasts. He is also being questioned with a theft case that took place in Kerala. It was suspected that some persons affiliated with terrorist organisations had committed a theft at an explosives manufacturing unit.

On July 25 2008, a series of blasts took place in Bengaluru. The police said that the blasts were caused by low intensity crude bombs triggered by timers. Several persons were injured in the blasts, while one lady lost her life.

It was reported that gelatin sticks were used in the bombs. Police indicated that all bombs had timer devices attached to them and that mobile phones were used to trigger the bombs.

• 1st blast: 1.20 pm, Madiwala bus depot
• 2nd blast: 1.25 pm, Mysore road
• 3rd blast: 1.40 pm, Adugodi
• 4th blast: 2.10 pm, Koramangala
• 5th blast: 2.25 pm, Vittal Mallya road
• 6th blast: 2.35 pm, Langford Town
• 7th blast: Richmond Town

There was another bomb found on 26 July 2008 in Bangalore near Forum Mall, Koramangala which was defused successfully by the Bomb Detection Squad.