3 terror suspects held by Karnataka police

Three terror suspects who were allegedly involved in the murder of five BJP and Hindu Munnani functionaries across Tamil Nadu in the last two years and subsequently arrested by the Special Investigation Division (SID) of the Crime Branch CID were taken into custody by the Karnataka police on Friday.

A special team of the Bangalore police took custody of ‘Police’ Fakruddin, Bilal Malik and Panna lsmail lodged in Vellore central prison in connection with an explosion that took place near the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Malleswaram on April 17, 2013. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also likely to question the suspects, police sources said.

According to sources in the Prison Department, a 40-member strong escort team of the Bangalore police led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police and Inspector took custody of the accused. The suspects, who owe allegiance to the banned Muslim outfit Al-Umma, were arrested from their hideout in Puttur (Andhra Pradesh) on October 5, 2013. Their involvement is also suspected in the plot to blow up the convoy of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani near Madurai a couple of years ago, sources added.

Meanwhile, a report from Vellore said that the terror suspects were also wanted in several cases in Tamil Nadu, including those related to the murder of BJP functionaries.

There was also a case against them in Andhra Pradesh with regard to the incident leading to their arrest in Puthur last year.

The Karnataka police wanted to question them with regard to the 2013 Bangalore bomb blast case.

(With additional reporting by A. D. Balasubramanian from Vellore)