The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday ‘arrested’ two medicos, for their alleged connection with Indian Mujahideen (IM) suspects from a hostel in the State Capital in connection with the Patna aerial blasts on October 27 last year. The police however, did not confirm their arrests till late evening.
The duos — doctors by profession — taking shelters for the last few months in the hostel and were allegedly in regular contact with Haider and Mujibullah, who were arrested by the agency in a joint operation with the local police on Wednesday. The NIA has also recovered some explosives, which could easily be converted into bombs within few minutes after assembling them.
Investigating officers have procured important information from the laptop of an alleged terrorist Haider. Information so collected proved instrumental in the latest arrests.
NIA and local police teams have been carrying out regular raids in the State for the last three-four days in pursuit of criminals involved in the blasts. “The raid was conducted yesterday night at Idris Medical Hostel by a joint team of NIA and Ranchi police where some explosives like boosters, wires and detonators, IED along with some other articles, including a laptop have also been recovered from their room,” said SSP Prabhat Kumar.
According to the SSP, raids are being conducted at several other places on the basis of information gathered from the laptop of IM suspect Haider, arrested by the investigating agencies on Wednesday. Kumar refused to divulge any details regarding the arrest of two doctors from the hostel saying that the local police only provided logistic support during the raid and he had no further knowledge regarding the arrests.
Sources in the police department however, confirmed the arrest of two doctors from the hostel room, one of which has been identified as Dr. Syed Ejaz Hashmi who was working as a junior doctor at a leading private hospital in Ranchi, while the details of other arrested person Shoaib Akhtar has not been disclosed so far. Hashmi is said to have done his MBBS from Aligarh Muslim University and was pursuing Post Graduation at RIMS.
The duos, having medical degrees, were staying at Idris Medical hostel near Jora Talaab under Bariatu Police Station, meant for Muslim students of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences. The hostel having over 50 rooms in it is meant only for doctors who is either a medical student or preparing for higher medical degrees.
The hostel, established in 1971, itself has an interesting story. Once the Muslim students residing in the RIMS hostel had a dispute over some issue after which they managed rooms for themselves adjacent to the campus. Since then, most of the students of Muslim Community started staying at Idris lodge.“I didn't opt for the room in the RIMS hostel as I don't like my neighbours taking liquor and smoking cigarettes,” said the second year student.
It also accommodates medical students from outside who are preparing for higher medical degrees, looking for jobs or fresh pass-outs from any other Medical College doing internship and all. It is run by a trust of students managed by themselves with the token amount of Rs 300 for each room. The raid at Idris lodge was conducted under tight security and according to the people residing nearby; the hostel was surrounded by over 150 policemen within minutes which went on about two hours. “I had gone to get a cigarette myself up to the road and when I came back after five minutes at 12:35 pm, the area was fully surrounded by the police men guarding the hostel premises. They left the area after two hours without disturbing anyone in the area,” said a local resident who lives in the adjoining apartment of the hostel.
A conspiracy had been hatched to harm Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi, the National Investigation Agency claimed on Wednesday, saying it has cracked last year's Patna serial blasts case with the arrest of four persons including a juvenile allegedly having association with banned terror groups like SIMI and IM. On October 27 last year, a bomb exploded on platform No 10 of the Patna Railway Station ahead of Modi's rally. later, blasts took place at Gandhi Maidan outside the rally. So far, eight persons have been arrested in this case.