STF foils plan to free JMB chief on way to court

KOLKATA: The Special Task Force of Kolkata Police foiled terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahiddeen

Bangladesh

's plan to carry out an attack and whisk away the arrested Indian head of its outfit, Kausar alias Boma Mizan, while he would have been taken from the Presidency correctional home to Bankshall Court on Saturday.


The STF has arrested Ariful Islam from the Babughat area on Saturday, after sleuths followed him around for several days, and even kept an eye on his travel to Assam. A resident of Assam, Ariful (22), who joined JMB six years ago, had planted a bomb at Bodh Gaya in January 2018. CCTV footages of the suspect captured from the Bodh Gaya blast spot matched the image of Ariful, said an STF officer. "He worked as a helper in trucks and came in contact with Kausar and his right-hand man Abdul Majid. The two reportedly gave him the formal invitation to join JMB. He was in contact with several arrested JMB members, Kausar, Kalu, Adil, Hassan alias Umar, Paigambar, Kodor Gazi and others involved in the Khagragarh blast," an officer said.

"After the blast at Bodh Gaya, where he planted the explosive at the behest of Kausar, he went into hiding in Bangalore. He returned to Kolkata to plot Kauser's escape while being taken to court. An entire module, comprising three to four suspects, was put in place. Some papers have been seized from Ariful and raids are on to nab the others," an officer said.

STF has turned its focus on the whereabouts of JMB new chief, Salauddin Ahmed alias Salauddin Salehin. "Salauddin wants to carry out attacks even in north

Bengal

, the first target being places frequented by Buddhist pilgrims. The Neo-JMB has formed at least seven modules in Bengal, five of them being based out of

Murshidabad

," an officer said.