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Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force arrests another JMB operative in connection with Burdwan blast

WION
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Feb 09, 2019, 11:19 PM IST
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Manirul Islam aged 42 years hailing from Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district of West Bengal was arrested from Kolkata’s APC Road on Friday evening.  Photograph:(ANI)

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Just seven days ago, the STF had arrested another JMB operative Abdul Matin from Kerala who hailed from Assam’s Barpeta, he joined the JMB in 2010. 

Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) arrested a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operative on Friday in connection with the Burdwan blast case.

“Manirul Islam aged 42 years hailing from Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district of West Bengal was arrested from Kolkata’s APC Road on Friday evening,” said a senior official of Kolkata Police.

STF officers revealed that Islam was an active JMB member since 2010. He was very much acquainted with Maulana Yousuf and Ibrahim who were recently arrested by Kolkata Police.

Islam used to visit Mokimnagar Madrasa frequently, recruited locals and reportedly radicalized them. The recruits were later trained at the same Madrasa where arms training was imparted.

Just seven days ago, the STF had arrested another JMB operative Abdul Matin from Kerala who hailed from Assam’s Barpeta. He joined the JMB in 2010 when he used to study at the Madrasa.

On January 29, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had nabbed two Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) operatives from Bengal’s Hooghly district.

“NIA Kolkata arrested accused Kadar Kazi alias Kadoor, 32 years, from Arambagh Police Station area, district Hooghly, West Bengal. He was wanted in Burdwan blast case and was also declared as a proclaimed offender. His associate Sajjad Ali who was also involved in the activities of JMB has also been arrested in the late night operation yesterday. Both the accused are being produced before NIA special court Kolkata today,” an official release from the NIA read.

Of the two arrested - Kader Kazi and Sajjad Ali - Kader was a close associate of Burdwan blast mastermind Kausar.

On October 2, 2014, an explosion was reported at Khagragarh in Burdwan district of West Bengal. Two JMB operatives died in the accidental blast while making bombs while a third one was seriously injured. The investigation in the explosion revealed that the JMB unit and sleeper cells were active in the state.

Several arrests were made by the Bengal Police, however, the investigation was later handed over to NIA.