NIA arrests another key JuMB man

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made yet another breakthrough in the October 2 Burdwan blast case by arresting key Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JuMB) man Sheikh Amjad.

Like JuMB chief Sajid, the West Bengal chief of the Bangladeshi terror outfit who was arrested just days ago, there was a prize of Rs 10 lakh for information about Amjad’s whereabouts. An official NIA communiqué said the agency apprehended Amjad alias Kajal from his house at Kazi Market in Birbhum district’s Kirnahar.

The 30-year-old is “one of the main conspirators of the Burdwan blast case”, said the NIA statement. “He recruited and trained terror operatives,” said an official. “Amjad was instrumental in procuring explosive chemicals for co-conspirators to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Soon after the blasts, the NIA had raided his Kolkata house and recovered receipts and vouchers related to the purchase of chemicals used in making IEDs,” the communiqué pointed out.

NIA sources said Amjad came to its notice during the course of investigation as part of the JuMB’s top brass in India. “After the blast, he absconded and went to New Delhi on October 8, from where he went to Basti in Uttar Pradesh. There, he was sheltered for few days by a policeman. He returned to Bengal, from where he was arrested on Monday,” said officials.