Key suspect in Burdwan blast case and alleged motivational trainer of terror group Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Shahanoor Alam has been arrested by Assam Police's Special Operation Unit from his relative's house in Nalbari district.
Addressing a press conference here today, Assam Director General of Police Khagen Sarma said Alam was nabbed "after getting an information from a local person".
Alam was arrested last evening from Larkuchi village under Mukalmua police station in Nalbari district. With this, the total number of arrests in Assam in connection with the October 2 blast in Burdwan has gone upto ten, Sarma said.
"We have been after Shahanur since the blast took place (on October 2). Many times, we missed him narrowly. Yesterday, Assam Police's Special Operation Unit received information about his hideout and accordingly arrested him," Sarma said.
Alam has been arrested under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 121 (waging, attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against Government of India).
He was produced at the court of the CJM, Kamrup today and remanded to 14 days police custody.
One of the prime accused in the Burdwan blast case, Alam has so far been hiding at many places in Assam, Meghalaya and areas along the international border with Bangladesh, but "he has not gone to Bangladesh after the blast", the DGP said.
Talking about his involvement with the JMB, Sarma said, "He is not an expert in operational training or militant activities in terms of use of arms or weapons. But he is very expert in motivational training and it is more dangerous."
The top cop said Alam was closely connected with the Burdwan blast and kept on visiting the place before the incident, besides having a good rapport with leaders of JMB in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
With paramedical training in dentistry, Alam was given the name 'Iliyas' in JMB and received "motivational training" in Assam and West Bengal, the DGP said.
Alam alias Doctor hails from Chatala village in Barpeta district and is alleged to have arranged money for the Indian modules of JMB.
