The Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) module was busted after the alleged kingpin of the group -- Mohammad Sajid -- sustained burns while making explosives. His left hand was burnt when an IED went off accidentally on Tuesday, prompting police to swing into action and make arrests.
According to police, some members had also started undertaking 'sudden and quiet journeys' beyond Delhi and NCR after March. Police teams had then started observing late night and odd hour meetings.
“Some members were also observed travelling discreetly to local markets and spending considerable time there which raised suspicion,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah.
On April 18, the police operation took a definitive shape when it was learnt that it was Jaish-e-Mohammed, the banned Pakistani terrorist organisation, which was patronising the leaders of this group.
Thereafter, the police teams concentrated on every activity of the prominent leaders of the group.
Suspicious moves
Suspicious movement was reported from Sajid’s locality on Tuesday afternoon. “Sajid had burns in his left hand. It was also informed that the burn injury was suffered while Sajid was assembling an IED along with his accomplices,” Kushwah added.
Work place
The group had been working from a tailoring shop. This was followed by inputs which suggested that Sajid was planning an unspecified use of a ‘product’ assembled by him.
With the evidence, police decided to conduct raids in the late evening hours of Tuesday which led to the apprehension of Sajid, a resident of Chand Bagh.
When confronted with evidence, Sajid disclosed about his Jaish-e-Mohammed membership and the incident which led to burns on his left hand.
IED used
“Subsequently, one live IED, one damaged IED and raw material used for preparation of further IEDs were recovered at Sajid’s instance from the ground floor of his house,” Kushwah said.
Close on the heels of Sajid’s arrest, his primary accomplices Sameer and Shakir were apprehended from Loni and Saharanpur respectively in Uttar Pradesh.
“They are being examined by a special team at special cell’s headquarters in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony,” Kushwah added.