Two JMB operatives held in Bengal, explosive materials seized

Two operatives of Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been arrested from West Bengal's Murshidabad district and a cache of explosive materials seized from their possession, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

In a joint operation by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police and the Murshidabad police, Moshibur Rahman (35) alias Farooque and Ruhul Amin alias Saifullah (26) were apprehended Tuesday night, he said.

"Both Moshibur and Ruhul, residents of Murshidabad district, are active members of the outlawed JMB. A cache of explosive materials, including aluminium dust, calether (spirit of ether) and sulphuric acid, have been recovered from their possession," the senior officer told PTI.

The duo happen to be associates of Kauser and Sajjad, who were nabbed on January 29 for their involvement in 2014 Burdwan blast case, he said.

On October 2, 2014, a blast had occurred in a house at Khagragarh in Burdwan district, killing two persons.

"We have interrogated Sajjad and found out that Moshibur and Ruhul have been trained in making acid bombs. Their plan was to attack the police and get Kauser released," the officer said.

With Tuesday's successful raid in Murshidabad, the number of JMB operatives arrested in a month rose to six, he added.

On February 16, Ariful Islam alias Arif (22) was arrested from the city's Babughat area for his alleged links to the terror outfit.

Three days later, Asif Iqbal alias Nadeem, another resident of Murshidabad district, was held at Santragachi railway station in Howrah district.

Islam was involved in 2018 Bodh Gaya blast case, police had claimed.

On January 19 last year, a low-intensity bomb had exploded at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, shortly after Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama finished a sermon at the Mahabodhi temple.