Interrogation of SIMI terrorists begins

Bhubaneswar: After taking the five terrorists of the banned outfit Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on a 13-day remand yesterday, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch of Odisha Police started interrogating the ultras at some unknown place on Friday.

According reports, the interrogation of the arrested SIMI terrorists will be carried out in three shifts by two teams. While one team will look after the security arrangement, the other team will interrogate them about their module and activities in and outside the state.

Similarly, the woman terrorist will be quizzed lady officers, the sources said.
Beisdes, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and police from other states will also quiz the five members of the banned outfit, the sources added.

Meanwhile, a three-member team of Madhya Pradesh police has arrived at Nangamahal in Bhadrak where the terrorists had rented a room.

An eight-member team of the STF brought the five SIMI members from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar for interrogation amid tight security.

Zakir, one of the five arrested terrorists, has reportedly confessed his involvement in 2014 Chennai blast.

Notably, a joint team of SOG, Telangana Police, Rourkela Police and Intelligence Bureau raided a house in Qureshi Mohalla in Rourkela and arrested the five terrorists after a 3-hour-long operation ending in the wee hours on Wednesday.

Security forces seized 3 pistols, 11 rounds of ammunition and 7 guns from their possession.

The five terrorists have been identified as as Mehboob Khan alias Guddu, Zakir Khan alias Sadiq, Amjad Khan alias Dawood, Saliq alias Sallu and Najma (Mehboob’s mother). All of them are residents of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh. They are among the most-wanted terrorists in the country with a Rs 10 lakh reward on each of their heads announced by the NIA.

On Thursday, Rourkela Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court had allowed the STF to take the SIMI members on 13 days’ remand against the 30 days sought by police.