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From assembling bombs to planting them, 10 terror operatives spread across Patna on Sunday and wreaked havoc in the city. Vicky Nanjappa reports finds out they orchestrated the serial blasts
Less than a week into the Patna serial blasts, the Bihar police and the National Investigation Agency have made headway into the case. Four arrests have been made so far and several others have been detained for their alleged role in the blasts.
According to a first information report filed by the Bihar police, Indian Mujahideen’s Tehsin Akhtar, Imitiaz Ansari, Ainul alias Tarique, Hyder, Numan and Taufeeq were the key operatives in the attack. Here is the role they played.
Tehsin Akthar: He is said to be the mastermind behind the attack and allegedly the new boss of the Indian Mujahideen. Akhtar, said sources, has assumed his new role after the arrest of Yasin Bhatkal.
Tehsin, according to the investigation, oversaw the entire operation. He surveyed the places, which were targeted and stayed in Patna for nearly a month disguised as a tourist guide. His name appears in the FIR, but he is yet to be arrested.
Imtiaz: He is the main accused in the case. He led the operation last Sunday, said sources. He took orders from Akthar.
Imtiaz stayed in Patna for nearly a month to oversee the preparations for the operation. He cdenamed the operation as Machli 5, which aimed at targeting Narendra Modi.
Ainul alias Tarique: He was the suspect number 2 in the case. Ainul a close aide of Tehsin Akthar died on Friday in hospital. He was in fact one of the first persons to be apprehended by the police when they found him in pain at the Patna railway station. He sustained major injuries on his head when the bomb he was assembling went off.
Hyder: He goes by the pseudonim 'Black Beauty'. Hyder planted one of the bombs in Patna. He was a liaison between operatives in Patna and Ranchi.
Numan: A foot soldier of the IM, he hails from Ranchi. He allegedly planted two bombs near Gandhi Maidan ahead of Modi’s rally. He was picked up a day after the blasts based on information provided by Imtiaz during his questioning. He has been named in the FIR and the police are still interrogating him.
Taufeeq: Another foot soldier, he is reportedly a close aide of Imtiaz. He arrived in Patna four days before the attack. Responsible for planting bombs at the railway station, his name too figures in the FIR.
All the above-mentioned names appear in the FIR and they are viewed as accused in the blasts case.
The names mentioned below are still viewed as suspects and they are still being questioned in order to ascertain their role in blasts.
Meher Alam: Though a few investigators say that he was an informer, the NIA insists that he was detained for questioning in the case. He escaped from custody but was rearrested on Thursday. The details of his role are not clear, but sources say that he helped operatives during the blasts
Tabish: He was detained for questioning by the NIA on Thursday for allegedly funding the Patna blasts. This information was provided by Imtiaz during his questioning. Tabish is yet to confess about of his involvement.
Arshad Ahmed: He was picked up for questioning from Bihar’s East Champaran. He is said to be part of the Darbhanga module and is suspected to have helped in the logistics and transportation of bombs. He is still being questioned and is being viewed as a suspect.
Tausim: A close aide of Imtiaz, he is also suspected to have planted bombs around Gandhi Maidan. He was picked up from Ranchi and is still being questioned by both the Bihar police and the NIA.
Image: A bomb explodes at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Sunday
Photograph: Reuters