Police teams formed to catch absconding IM terrorist's aide

Several police teams have swung into action to catch Barkat, an alleged accomplice of a suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist arrested in Jodhpur.

Barkat used to supply explosive materials to IM terrorist Shaquib Ansari who was arrested yesterday by a joint team of Rajasthan ATS and the special cell of Delhi Police, according to Jodhpur Police Commissioner Sachin Mittal.

He managed to escape before the police team could raid his house, he said.

"We have formed different teams to locate and arrest Barkat. 35 kg gun powder and seven mobile handsets were recovered from his house in the raids yesterday," Mittal said.

"So far, there is no concrete information on his whereabouts," he said.

Barkat managed to escape as he was tipped off by his accomplice Adil about the arrest of Shaquib Ansari before the police could raid his house. Adil was later arrested and several incriminating materials were seized from his house, he said.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police took away Shaquib, from whose house in Jodhpur a huge cache of explosive materials was recovered, whereas Adil is under the city police custody and being interrogated, DCP (Jodhpur) Hinglaj Dan had said.

A total of five suspected IM terrorists were arrested yesterday in a joint operation by Delhi police special cell and Rajasthan ATS, he had said.

Those arrested included top Indian Mujahideen terrorist Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with several bombings.

He was arrested outside Ajmer Railway Station when he alighted from a train which came from Bandra, Mumbai.

At his instance, Mohammad Mahruf (21), Mohammad Waqar Azhar alias Haneef (21), both residents of Jaipur, and Shaquib Ansari (25) were arrested. The fifth terrorist to be arrested was Adil.

ATS ADG Alok Tripathi said the probable targets of the arrested accused were places like Birla Temple and shopping malls where footfall was high.