Followed by the arrest of two suspected Indian Mujahedeen (IM) operatives on Saturday and taking them on a three day remand, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Monday launched extensive search operations near the hillocks surrounding Sithio village along with Ring Road, which continued for hours. Nothing is said to be found during the search.
The team had also taken the four arrested IM operatives — Iftekhar Ansari and Firoz Aslam arrested on Saturday along with Haider Ali alias ‘Black Beauty’ and Muzibullah Ansari, arrested earlier from Khadgarha bus stand in Ranchi— with them.
“The team along with the police force reached here in the morning and is searching for something, also digging the nearby fields with the help of labourers,” said a local working in his fields. The area was completely surrounded by policemen and video footage was also being taken of each and every activity of the team, added the villager.
The NIA team conducted search operation in every nook and corner of the area identified by the arrested suspects of Patna blasts.
The sleuths also had to dig the ground at various locations searching for explosives used by the suspects to trigger bombs.
According to the locals of the area, the team also went inside the adjoining jungles where the members of
Ranchi module of IM allegedly were being trained to prepare and explode bombs after planting them on a suitable location in order to cause maximum damage.
Meanwhile, the team seems to be inching closer towards demolishing the Ranchi Module. Three others — Akhtar, brother of Tariq who died during the blast, Maulana Taufiq and one Iftekhar of Sithio village were interrogated at Hatia Guest House.
The NIA has been camping in Ranchi since Friday evening trying to find out people involved in providing logistic support and shelter to the accused persons before and after the Patna serial blasts. The NIA is also trying to understand and establish the connection between the arrested IM operatives and the modus operandi to trigger blasts during BJPs prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Six people died after the blasts took place injuring dozens of people who had come to attend a huge rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna to be addressed by the then PM candidate Narendra Modi before the lok Sabha elections.