Yasin Bhatkal arrested

Suspect in Dilsukhnagar and several other blasts

• Involved in a string of blast cases since 2008 when he founded Indian Mujahideen
• 2nd biggest catch after Tunda’s arrest on Aug 16
• A six-month secret operation led to his capture

New Delhi (Agencies): Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, one of the most wanted terrorists for a string of bombings in India, and his associate Asadulla Akhtar were arrested from the India-Nepal border in North Bihar on Wednesday night. Bhatkal is a suspect in the twin bomb blasts at Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad, February this year.

He had been on the run for over five years and his arrest is the third big catch for Indian security agencies after the arrest of Abu Jundal and Abdul Karim Tunda, a key Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and expert bomb-maker, also from the India-Nepal border on August 16.

30-year-old Bhatkal hit the spotlight after the 2008 Delhi serial blasts in which 30 people were killed. He was suspected to be the mastermind of these five blasts. During the probe, his role was traced back to 2004 as for allegedly distributing explosive material from Karnataka. He is also suspected to have played an active role in the 2006 Mumbai serial train blasts that left 187 people dead. Bhatkal was once arrested in 2008, the very year in which he founded the IM with brother Riaz, by the Kolkata police in a fake currency case. But, they had no clue about his real identity. He had assumed a false identity, and managed to escape.

Since then he was believed to have slipped into Bangladesh and then to Karachi in Pakistan. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma identified the other suspected terrorist who was arrested as Asadullah Akhtar. He said they would be examined by the Andhra Pradesh police about their involvement in February 21 blasts at Dilsukhnagar that claimed 18 lives and injured scores. Karnataka and Maharashtra police also said they seek his custody.

The IM co-founder is also an accused in the Delhi serial blasts (2008), Ahmedabad blasts (2008) and Surat blast (2008). He is also allegedly involved in blasts in Jaipur (2008), Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi (2010), German Bakery blast in Pune (2010) and in Mumbai (2011). In December 2011, the Delhi police also announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of Yasin in several terror cases, including three in Delhi.

In 2011, Delhi Police announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Bhatkal. Similarly, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) had also earlier this year announced a Rs 10 lakh reward on him. On a tip-off, the central intelligence agencies laid a trap for Bhatkal and lay in wait for the last six months.

Announcing the arrest of Bhatkal, one of India's most wanted terrorists who was on the run for five years, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said: "Yasin Bhatkal has been arrested last (Wednesday) night. "He is in the custody of Bihar Police and the interrogation is going on," Shinde told reporters outside parliament. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was briefed by the minister about the arrest.

Bihar Police chief Abhayanand said: "It was Bihar Police that mainly helped NIA (National Investigation Agency) and other government agencies to arrest Bhatkal. A team of Bihar Police officials have interrogated Bhatkal at a secret place after he was arrested," he added.

East Champaran district Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar said Bhatkal would be brought to Motihari from Raxaul under tight security before being taken to New Delhi. He will be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) for probe, Home Ministry officials said.