The Ahmedabad blasts have found a queer link in Navi Mumbai. An apartment in the area has been raided on Sunday after a 14-page email was sent to certain TV channels, allegedly by a terror group, moments before the blasts took place on Saturday.
An American national staying in the apartment has alleged that his email ID had been hacked by unknown persons to send email in the name of 'Indian Mujahideen' warning of the bombings just moments before the serial blasts.
In the email, the terror group claimed responsibility for the blasts and called it a revenge for the Gujarat riots in 2002.
Commenting on the email, an officer of Mumbai's anti-terrorism squad (ATS) said, "We are probing it and personal verifications of persons living in the area in Navi Mumbai are being carried out. He declined to give details on the issue, saying it was too early to comment."
Although the police have confiscated some material, no one was arrested. The Navi Mumbai apartment is owned by a certain Abhishek Sharma, who had rented it out to an American national who is being quizzed by the police. The Mumbai Police's crime branch has provided details of passport and visa of the American national to the ATS.
SIMI activist held
An activist of the banned SIMI, wanted in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots, was arrested on Sunday from Ahmedabad following a combing operation in the walled city.
Police arrested Abdul Halim, who went into hiding after the Gujarat riots and was untraceable since then.
"There were reports that he was Delhi and we had informed the city's police as well. After receiving some cues about his whereabouts, the crime branch arrested him," Ahmedabad joint commissioner of police Ashish Bhatia said.
He confirmed that Halim was arrested in connection with Saturday's blasts in Ahmedabad that claimed 45 lives.
Halim was wanted by the cops for luring youths who were riot victims in and around Ahmedabad and took them to Uttar Pradesh.
"From there, an organised network was engaged in sending these youths across the border for terror training and Halim was a part of this network. Currently he is being interrogated," added Bhatia. The Ahmedabad police have also detained 30 people during their investigation.
Live bomb defused in Surat
A live bomb was defused near a Surat hospital and two cars with explosives were found near on the city limits on Sunday, triggering a high security alert in the diamond city. The police have seized a car filled with explosives, powder materials, gelatin sticks and shrapnel from Punagam, located on the outskirts of the city, police inspector M R Chavda said.
Bengaluru cops in 'touch'
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru police are also in touch with their Ahmedabad counterparts following reports that the blasts in the two cities were similar.
"We are hoping for a report from the Gujarat government," a senior police official said in Bengaluru. The police are taking the expert help of the National Security Guards and forensic experts to pin down the culprits.
The cement pots used in the explosions in Bengaluru point to the fact that the blasts were carried out by local support. But unlike the Ahmedabad blasts, no group has come forward to claim responsibility.
Hoax calls
There were at least three hoax bomb calls in Bengaluru on Sunday. While one of them said a bomb was planted near the house of Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan, another said it was at Garuda Mall. The third one said it was at the K C General Hospital. |
