The State police are trying to find out as to why the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists, who were shot dead at Nalgonda in Telangana State (TS), had proceeded towards Vijayawada.
Incidentally, the TS police, during investigation, recovered tickets for Vijayawada from New Delhi from the deceased activists.
However, police are clueless as to why they planned to travel to Vijayawada when the exchange of fire happened in Nalgonda district on April 2. Police are inquiring if the suspected SIMI activists had visited Vijayawada or any other places in Andhra Pradesh earlier. Investigating agencies are also probing the angle that the terror outfits are planning to move to Andhra Pradesh, particularly the proposed capital region.
City Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao said some former SIMI activists were operating in and around the city.
“There are traces of the banned group in Guntur and Krishna districts. We are keeping a vigil on SIMI activities in Vijayawada. Police have no clues as to how they [SIMI activists] escaped from the Khandwa Jail in Madhya Pradesh and planned to come to Vijayawada. We are probing it,” the Commissioner said.
The Intelligence Bureau, Counter Intelligence, State and Central intelligence and other wings have sounded alert and were conducting searches for absconding SIMI activists, Mr. Rao added.
“Police are also planning to strength its anti-terror wings to track and counter terrorist activists in Andhra Pradesh, which is the need of the hour,” said a police official.
There are traces of the banned group in Guntur and Krishna districts. We are keeping a vigil on SIMI activities in Vijayawada. Police have no clues as to how they [SIMI activists] escaped from the Khandwa Jail in Madhya Pradesh and planned to come to Vijayawada. We are probing it.
A.B. Venkateswara Rao,
City Police Commissioner
