Cops intensify combing for SIMI activists

Reports on the presence of more terror suspects in Nalgonda dist

SI’s condition still critical

Hyderabad: The condition of police Sub-Inspector Siddaiah, who was injured in fierce gun battle with SIMI activists in Nalgonda district on Saturday, still remains critical, according to doctors on Sunday.The sub-inspector suffering from bullet wounds when the two SIMI activists opened fire at the police. Though doctors removed three cartridges from his body after eight-hour long surgery, one more bullet lodged inside his head is yet to be extricated.

Doctors said Siddaiah was transfused 40 units of blood so far while he was undergoing surgery. Inspector Bala Gangi Reddy, who was also injured in the same incident, was declared out of danger.Meanwhile, both Telugu-speaking States have been put on high alert following the Nalgonda incident. Police teams from both the States are continuing combing for the remaining terrorists involved in the crime.

Hyderabad: Police intensified search operations in Nalgonda district amid reports of possible presence of more terror suspects in the area on Sunday, a day after two men and a policeman were killed in a fierce gunfight at Janakipuram village in the district.Police teams have been combing Arvapalli and surrounding areas, where the suspects, understood to be operatives of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were believed to be hiding. Sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) have also joined the search operations.

Though Telangana Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy denied that the two men gunned down on Saturday had any terror link and were members of gang of dacoits from Uttar Pradesh, the police and intelligence agencies suspect that they were among the five SIMI operatives who had escaped from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh in 2013. However, the police have not officially revealed the identity of the duo.Meanwhile, the condition of one of the two police officers who were also injured in the encounter continues to be critical.

The gunfight occurred two days after the same men gunned down two policemen and injured two others in Suryapet town in Nalgonda district, about 130 km from Hyderabad. They opened fire when policemen were questioning them after stopping a bus in which they were going to Vijayawada from Hyderabad in the early hours of Thursday.Special police teams are focussing on Arvapalli as the two suspects believed to have visited Khaja Naseeruddin Baba dargah after the incident at Suryapet.

Police suspect that there could have been three or more people. The officials are questioning a few residents including the in-charge of the dargah. Sources have not ruled out the possibility of one or more suspects hiding in the area.The slain suspects also believed to have hidden their weapons, laptops and other materials in the area. The investigating teams are trying to identify those who gave shelter to the suspects. They are also looking into the activities they might have carried out in Telangana and adjoining Andhra Pradesh.

The probe teams are trying to see if the same suspects were involved in thefts in a finance company in RC Puram in Medak district and a bank dacoity in Karimnagar.Meanwhile, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu visited a private hospital in Hyderabad, where the two injured police officers are undergoing treatment. He said the Central government was ready to provide all assistance to Telangana in the probe. He lauded the exemplary courage shown by policemen in fighting the enemies. Naidu advised both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to coordinate their efforts to deal with anti-national elements.