New Delhi, October 26
The arrest of a suspected member of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) from Hyderabad has unravelled the terror outfit’s plan to carry out a “fidayeen” attack at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The arrested IM operative, Sayed Maqbool, 35, alias Zuber, belongs to Dharmabad in Nanded, Maharashtra. He was arrested from Hyderabad on October 23.

“The attack was planned to take place at Buddhist shrines in Bodh Gaya in retaliation to the alleged atrocities committed against the Muslims in Myanmar. The attack was approved by Riyaz Bhatkal, a founding member of the IM,” said SN Shrivastava, Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Delhi Police, today. Maqbool allegedly played a role in the Pune serial bomb blasts in August. Special Cell sources said Maqbool was not present in Pune on the day of the blasts.

Four other suspected IM operatives — Asad Khan, Imran Khan, Sayed Feroz, alias Hamza, and Landge Irfan Mustafa — have already been arrested for their alleged role in the Pune attack. Police said they had named Maqbool during interrogation.

Maqbool has been involved in three murders, two of them committed in 1999 and one in 2000, according to Shrivastava.

Maqbool had first met Imran through a common friend in 2009. He later got acquainted with Asad and Irfan. Riyaz had instructed them to carry out the Pune bomb blasts.