NIA arrests 1 in Burdwan blasts case

The person has been identified as Nurul Hoque.

He was arrested near the Howrah railway station at about 1:00 PM.

"One Nurul Hoque @ Naeem (age about 26 yrs), son of Masadul Mondal, resident of Bakshipur, police station Domkal, Murshidabad was arrested today by NIA from near the Howrah railway station at about 1:00 PM, in connection with the Burdwan blast case (RC-03/2014/NIA/DLI) for his association with the terrorist conspiracy of Jamatul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB). He had been identified as a key co-conspirator and was absconding since the Burdwan blast. A cash reward had been declared for his arrest," the NIA said in a statement.

"Several witnesses as well as interrogation of arrested JMB cadres, arrested in connection with the case, had revealed the name of Naeem as a very active member of JMB who was operational in Birbhum district in close association with Dalim Sheikh (arrested) and Talha Sheikh (Bangladeshi national, absconding). He was actively involved in local fund collection drive alongwith Dalim Sheikh. As per the witness accounts, Nurul Haque is a trained member of JMB, having undergone training at Mukimnagar Madarsa in Murshidabad and Shimulia Madarsa in Burdwan district, on two occasions at least," it said.

He had since been elevated to the position of a trainer and he had since been actively provided training in arms firing, explosives handling and self-defence techniques in the terrorist training camps of JMB at Shantipally in Birbhum as well as Simulia and Mukimnagar Madrasa, the NIA said.

As per witness accounts, he was also closely associated as a motivator in radicalization camps, wherein he used to show various video clips of Jehadi orientation, on a laptop to the new recruits, and thereafter urged them to join the Jihadi movement with the JMB and take revenge for the atrocities on Muslims worldwide, the NIA said.

The NIA said: "Nurul Haque was locally known by organizational name Naeem
in JMB and he was closely associated with Shk. Rehmatullah @ Sajid Bangaldeshi national, since arrested and chargesheeted) Nasirullah and Talha Sheikh (both Bangladeshi nationals chargesheeted in the case and absconding since the Burdwan blast)."

He will be produced in the NIA Special Court in Kolkata on Friday.

The Burdwan blast incident had taken place on Oct 2 last at Khagragarh area in Burdwan district when the explosion in a house led to the killing of two bomb makers and discovery of a cache of arms and ammunition.