Shahanur Alam acknowledges his involvement in Burdwan blast

Alam was reportedly in touch with the terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Burdwan

Interrogations by the Assam police have established prime accused Shahanur Alam's involvement in the October 2 Burdwan blast and his links with the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangaldesh (JMB) which has set up a network in West Bengal, a top police official said today.

"Sahanur's involvement in the Burdwan case has come out during interrogation. He was in contact with the terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Burdwan," Additional Director General of Police-Special Branch Pallab Bhattacharjee told PTI here.

"Subsequently he was motivated to join the JMB. He also informed that as the JMB was working against the Bangladesh government it was under tremendous pressure and was trying to take shelter in neighbouring West Bengal. There its network came up", he said.

Asked if Shahanur has given information about the network or presence of JMB leaders in Assam, the police officer said, "We don't think the JMB operations are very important in Assam. Some of them who were here are on the run and we are on their trail. The situation is not serious in Assam."

The JMB leaders tried to motivate impressionable youths to join their outfit. Shahanur had not undergone any operational military training in terms of use of arms or weapons but is an expert in motivational training, the ADGP said.

"Shahanur's training has been in motivating youths for the JMB. Our strategy now is to deradicalise Sahanur," the ADGP said.

The key suspect of Burdwan blast case, Shahanur Alam, carrying a award of Rs 5 lakh award on his head announced by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was arrested by Assam Police's Special Operation Unit from his relative's house in Nalbari district on December 5 and remanded to 14 days police custody by a local court here.

So far 10 persons, including Alam, his wife Suzena Begum and brother Zakaria Ali, have been arrested in Assam in connection with the Burdwan blast case, the ADGP said.