Bhatkal taken to Bihar, Asadullah to Hyderabad for probe

Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal was Saturday brought to Bihar by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which raided several places on the basis of information provided by him. His aide Asadullah Akhtar was taken to Hyderabad for a probe into the Feb 21 bomb blasts there.

Bhatkal was taken to Darbhanga district by NIA. The agency raided several places to nab other terror suspects on the basis of information provided by him, police said.

"Bhatkal was brought to Darbhanga by NIA officials, who raided at least six places including those where he reportedly resided during his visit to Bihar," a district police official said.

The NIA team will take Bhatkal to the neighbouring districts of Samastipur and Madhubani in search of other Indian Mujahideen operatives.

"Bhatkal revealed to the NIA during interrogation about his coonection with Bihar's Darbhanga, Samastipur and Madhubani districts," police said.

Meanwhile, NIA officials took Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi to a few places at Bahadurpura in Hyderabad, where he along with some others allegedly resided and made the bombs, sources said.

Bhatkal along with Akhtar was arrested in Raxaul in Bihar's East Champaran district along the India-Nepal border last month.

He revealed before the investigators the details of the places they visited in Hyderabad before carrying out the blasts.

The twin blasts at the crowded Dilsukhnagar market claimed 18 lives.

The NIA is investigating if Akhtar and Bhatkal received any local help in the terror attacks.

Bhatkal and Akhtar, allegedly involved in several bomb blasts in different parts of the country, were arrested by Bihar police on the India-Nepal border Aug 28. The NIA later brought them to Delhi and interrogated them.

The terror suspects reportedly confessed their role in Dilsukhnagar blast. They allegedly planted explosives on two bicycles.

According to Hyderabad police, the profiles of the two suspects seen in the CCTV footage before the blasts match with Bhatkal and Akhtar.

Bhatkal confessed that he was the brain behind recruitment of youth in Bihar to carry out terror attacks across the country.

He was wanted by police in 12 states for bombings and other terror activities in the last five years.