JOIN USState intelligence teams have been checking on all suspects, including Indian Mujahideen (IM) operators Maulana Naseeruddin, Muqeemuddin Yasser and Baleeghuddin Jaber, allegedly acquitted in the Hiren Pandya case who were all released from jail recently and are back in Hyderabad.
Police officers say that the terrorists allegedly had the assistance of locals in choosing the spot which was a busy location on a highway, just five km from Charminar. “Many of the sleeper cells of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and IM are still active in Hyderabad and we are regularly monitoring them,” said another officer.
Police say that one Sayeed Maqbool of IM was caught recently in Hyderabad. An expert in making improvised explosive devices, Maqbool had confessed that he had done a recce of Begum Bazar, Abids and Dilsukhnagar in December 2012 as per the directions of Riyaz Bhaktal, top leader of IM.
The police say that the miscreants had chosen a busy location of Dilsukhnagar to put two bombs. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy who reached the blast spot, however, confirmed the death of only 11 persons–eight at one location and three in the other place–both in Dilsukhnagar. He appealed to people to not spread rumours.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravi Verma said the bombs were planted on the back seats of two cycles - one near the Anand Tiffin Centre and another near the bus stand within a gap of about 100 feet. The bombs were kept in steel lunch boxes on the cycles which are normally used by daily wagers to carry their lunch.
Both the blasts impacted on people, shops, vehicles and other goods which came under their range within 150 yards, said Director General of Police Dinesh Reddy. “The state intelligence was informed about the threat concerns in Nanded, Hubli, Bangalore and Hyderabad two days ago,” he said.
The police do not rule out the use of ammonium nitrate in the explosives, indicating the involvement of terrorist groups like Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. “We do not rule out any revenge action for hanging of Afzal Guru but it is too early to confirm,” a senior intelligence official said.