3 Lashkar terrorists arrested in Mumbai

Three suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants from Jammu and Kashmir were arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Mumbai police on Friday from Nagpada area of south Mumbai, a top police official said.

The ATS also seized arms and material used for making bombs from them, Police Commissioner A N Roy confirmed.

They were identified as Qurshid Ahmed alias Lala (29), Arshad Ghulam Ahmed Hussain Badru (27) and Mohammed Ramzan Abdul Kazi (50), Roy told reporters.

The three were arrested by the ATS outside a hotel in Nagpada area of the metropolis, the Police Commissioner said, adding that altogether 20 detonators, five timers, a .32 bore revolver of foreign make and five remote control electronic timer devices were seized from the suspected militants.

Roy said preliminary inquiries revealed that Qurshid belonged to Satia Ahmed Shah Arim village of Baramulla district while his accomplice, Ashraf Badru hailed from Sopar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The third, Mohammed Ramzan Abdul Kazi, was from Navpur village in Baramulla district.

The police chief said it was yet to be ascertained when the suspected militants had sneaked into the city but it appeared that they had come to Mumbai to spread their network.

Although they were carrying material for making bombs they had no explosives.

Perhaps the explosives were yet to arrive in the city or it may be that they had not collected it from their sources. All these would be ascertained after the trio were questioned thoroughly, Roy said.

He said the Jammu and Kashmir police, who provided basic information about them to the Mumbai police, wanted the three in various crimes. Qurshid was wanted in the Srinagar bank robbery case in which Rs 11.7 lakh were stolen. He was also involved in bomb blasts in the valley, the police chief said.

Jammu and Kashmir police have records to show their alleged involvement in the crimes registered in that state, Roy said. The accused have been arrested under Explosives Act, Indian Arms Act and Unlawful Prevention of Activities Act, he added.