NIA arrests four in Patna serial blast case

Ranchi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths arrested four suspected terrorists in connection with the serial blasts in Patna prior to the rally of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi. Those arrested were identified as Haider Ali alias Black Beauty, Taufiq Ansari, Mujibullah and Nouman Ansari.

So far eight persons have been arrested in this case. Sources said the NIA has arrested the accused persons on the information of one Tahsin. Sources said Haider Ali was nabbed from Kodarma while Mujibullah was caught in Ormanjhi. Nauman Ansari and Taufiq Ansari were arrested from a lodge in Baralota under Sadar police station area of Palamu. Others were arrested from Ranchi, sources said.

Sources said the suspects were arrested during a joint raid conducted by the local DIG and NIA officials. The SP of Palamu YS Ramesh said the Ansaris are residents of Sithio village in Ranchi. The two were staying in a lodge by changing their names as Chandan Kumar and Ravindra Rai.

NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for giving information regarding the whereabouts of the accused persons. Central investigation agencies were probing into the Patna serial blasts after the arresting of Yasin Bhatkal from Bihar last year. A bomb blast had taken place at Patna railway station at platform number 10 ahead of Narendra Modi�s rally on 27th October in Patna. Later, blast took place outside Gandhi Maidan. NIA had named four absconding criminals in the chargesheet earlier.

Sources said NIA teams are still conducting raids to arrest other culprits of the Patna serial blast case.