Hyderabad bomb blasts: Indian Mujahideen operative had revealed plot to Delhi Police in 2012

NEW DELHI: Had the security establishment taken the interrogation of an Indian Mujahideen operative arrested by Delhi Police's special cell in October 2012 seriously, Thursday's blasts in Hyderabad could have been averted.

Interrogation of August 1 Pune blast suspects arrested by Delhi police in October last year had revealed that they had recced three places in Hyderabad on instructions of Pakistan-based IM chief Riyaz Bhatkal for future terror strikes. One among the places was Dilsukh Nagar where two bombs went off killing 12 people on Thursday.

According to a release issued by Special Cell on October 26, 2012, IM operatives Syed Maqbool and Imran Khan, both residents of nanded in Maharashtra but operational in Hyderabad, told the police that while planning the Pune blasts they stayed in Hyderabad where they recced Dilsukh Nagar, Begum Bazar and Abids in Hyderabad.

The release says: "Maqbool came in contact with Imran through a common friend... About a month before Ramzan in 2012, Maqbool helped Imran in doing a recce of Dilkhush Nagar, Begum Bazar and Abids in Hyderabad on a motorcycle. This was done on the instruction of Riyaz Bhatkal."

Sources said it was Dilsukh Nagar that was mis-spelt as Dilkhush Nagar in the release.

Maqbool has a long criminal record in Hyderabad including several murders. He was even convicted in a case but his punishment was commuted.

According to Delhi police, Maqbool was instrumental in the formation of IMMM (Indian Muslim Mohammadin Mujahidin; a terrorist organization) at village Mancharia in 1999 alongwith Azam Gauri and Roshan Baig. He has also been found to be involved in several blasts in Hyderabad and elsewhere.

He was arrested along with Asad Khan, Sayed Feroz and Landge Irfan Mustafa by the Delhi police in connection with Pune blasts.