New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI): In a major breakthrough in Burdwan blast case, West Bengal police today arrested the mastermind of the incident Sajid, a Bangladeshi national and stated to be a Chief Commander of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terror group.
Sajid was arrested by slueths of Bidhannagar Police Commissionarte in the afternoon from the Airport area of North 24-Parganas district.
"Today we arrested a person Sheikh Rahamatullah. He is a Bangaldeshi. After interrogation, it was revealed that he is Sajid who is involved in the Burdwan blast case and is the chief of Burdwan module. This is also confirmed by the fact that NIA has declared the cash award of Rs 10 lakhs," Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar told reporters.
"Sajid, alias Sheikh Rahmatullah, is a member of Jamat-ul-Mujahadeen Bangladesh and is a member of Majlis-e-Sura which is the central committee of Jamat," Kumar said.
The Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department) Kankar Prasad Bouri, said Sajid is the mastermind of Burdwan blast case.
Kumar also said Sajid had spent a few years in a jail in Bangladesh. According to Kumar, the Detective Department of Bidhannagar Police Commisionarate laid a trap with money and the courier who was carrying the money was convinced by the police to bring him and when he came to receive the money, the police arrested him. Around one lakh rupees was recovered from him.
The arrest of 40-year-old Sajid, who stayed near Lalgola Madrasa (religious school) in Mukimnagar of Murshidabad district, has given a fresh lease of life to the probe conducted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) whose which had otherwise hit a dead end with no clues emerging from the October two blast case, official sources said.
The West Bengal police will be handing over Sajid to NIA.
On October two, the blast in a house at Khagragarh in Burdwan town had taken place in which one person Shakil Ahmed died on the spot and another person Sovan Mandal died in hospital. Both were suspected to have links with JMB.
Another person - Hasan Saheb – who was also injured in the blast, gave some information which led to the arrest of six people in Assam. However, only two women including the wife of one of the dead man was useful in giving some sketchy information about the blast conspiracy.
The arrested accused identified Sajid and his wife Fatima as 'lead trainers' at Simulia Madrasa where people were being indoctrinated in jihad and kept in readiness for indulging in terror activities.
Sajid is alleged to have paid money of Rs 8.75 lakh to another accused Kausar, another a Bangladeshi national, for purchase of land for a madrasa in Burdwan.
His interrogation is expected to give some vital information about the plans of JMB in India as well as in Bangladesh besides the location of nearly 40 Improvised Explosive Devices that were shipped ahead of the October two blast.