Rourkela: People of the Steel City Monday heaved a sigh of relief as four of the eight suspected SIMI operatives, who were killed in an encounter after their escape from Bhopal Central Jail, had been arrested from here February 17.
They were SK Mehboob alias Guddu, Amjad Khan, Zakir Hussain and Mohd Salique. NIA-Bhopal had taken them in remand March 2 and they were lodged in Central Jail. Guddu’s mother Najma Bibi is still lodged in Rourkela Jail, it was learnt.
Earlier, the people were in a state panic as these terrorists were feared to come back to the city due to the presence of Najma Bibi in the jail. However, these four along with four others were killed in an encounter hours after escaping from the prison, much to the relief of the Steel City denizens.
Meanwhile, the locals demanded tight security arrangements in the city and vigil on the relatives of the killed SIMI members.
The four SIMI operatives had absconded from Khandwa jail in Bhopal in 2013 after snatching the service rifle of two jawans.
Later, they played a role in a bomb blast at Ranchi and escaped to Orissa to evade police arrest. The terrorists started staying on rent at Quereshi Mohalla of Nala Road masquerading as flower vendors.
Acting on intelligence inputs, a joint team of SOG, Telangana Police and district voluntary force with the help of the city police raided the house and managed to arrest them. Several incriminating material including country-made pistols, live bullets, forged PAN cards, sharp-edged weapons, masks and bank passbooks were seized from the house.
A car, a motorcycle, four pen drives and seven keys were also seized. The four terrorists, who were killed Monday, had brutally killed STF constable Sitaram Yadav, a bank manager and a lawyer of Bhopal in 2009.
They were also involved in some major robbery incidents in Dwiwaas, Itradi and Katni of Madhya Pradesh. Besides, they looted around 16 kg of gold at gunpoint from Bhopal branch of a reputed gold finance company in 2011. Abu Faisal alias Doctor, the mastermind of the gang, is serving life term in Bhopal Central Jail after being convicted in several cases.
High alert was sounded in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh following their escape from Khandwa jail.
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