JMB operative wanted in 2014 Burdwan blast case now arrested

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New Delhi: A Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operative, wanted in the 2014 Burdwan blast case, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in West Bengal's Hooghly district, officials said on Tuesday. Kadar Kazi, 32, was arrested on Monday night from Dongol More locality under the Arambagh police station area of the district, they said. "He was wanted in the Burdwan blast case and was also declared a proclaimed offender," an NIA official said.

Kazi's associate Sajjad Ali, who was also involved in the activities of the JMB, was arrested in the late night operation, he said. "Acting on a tip-off, our officials along with the local police conducted a raid at a place in Hooghly's Arambagh on Monday midnight and arrested these two JMB suspects who were under our radar for the Khagragarh explosion case," an NIA official told PTI. Kadar hailed from Nanur in Birbhum district, while Sajjad was a resident of Kandi in Murshidabad district. The official said the two were on the run since the explosion took place at a house in the Khagragarh locality of Burdwan town on October 2, 2014, killing two persons and injuring another.

"The duo had returned to West Bengal a couple of months back. They were well-versed in manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and hiding in Arambagh," he said. Asked whether the two were planning to carry out any terror activity in the state, the NIA sleuth said it was still unclear. "They were being questioned and the agency is testing the documents and materials seized from them," he said.

It was also learnt that the NIA got information about Kadar and Sajjad and their whereabouts after grilling arrested JMB leader Kausar Ali. So far, the agency has filed charge sheet against 30 accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms and Explosive Acts. During investigation, it was revealed the two deceased and injured, believed to be JMB members, and present in a rented house, were engaged in preparation of bombs, arms and ammunition, maintaining hideouts and organising terrorist training camps in pursuance of a larger conspiracy to carry out attacks in different parts of India and in Bangladesh, the NIA said.
The JMB is a terrorist organisation operating in Bangladesh. It was banned by the government of Bangladesh in 2005.

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