2 SIMI men arrested in Raipur, links with Patna blasts: police

Chhattisgarh police arrested two suspected SIMI activists and claimed today that one of them had links with recent serial blasts at Narendra Modi's rally in Patna on October 27.
The police said Indian Mujahideen terrorists had held a meeting near the state capital two years ago.
Auto rickshaw driver Abdul Wahid Khan (54) of Pandri area and Umer Sidhhiqui (35), who runs a coaching class in Raja Talab area, were arrested for alleged links with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, Raipur Superintendent of Police O P Pal told PTI.
A case has been registered against them under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, he added.

Another suspected terrorist, Aajijullah, was also taken into custody for interrogation in this connection, Pal said.
The local police were following the movement of the duo and keeping a close eye on the them for the past several months.

After getting information that associates of SIMI and IM were present in Ambikapur (north Chhattisgarh) and Raipur districts, police were following the movements of the suspected people in both the regions, he said.
During raids in Patna and Ranchi after recent blasts in Patna, several pieces of evidences were recovered which established the connection of Umer Siddhiqui with the terrorist outfit, Pal said.

Umer was in close contact with the suspected SIMI terrorists Abu Faizal, Ejajuddin, Mehboob, Aslam, Amzad and Zakir Hussain, all of whom recently escaped from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh, he said.
In 2011, Umer Siddhiqui had hosted a meeting of Chhattisgarh unit of Indian Mujahideen in a forested area 40-50 kms away from the Raipur, according to the SP.
Umer coordinated several others meetings of SIMI, which were attended by IM terrorists Abu Faizal alias Doctor, Ikrar Sheikh, Mujib Khan, Abdul Wahid and Imarur Rehmaan, he added.
Police sources said the arrests were significant from security point of view as political bigwigs such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi are visiting the poll-bound state for campaigning.