Author: PTI
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: September 14, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/202271/Year-after-Delhi-blasts-police-yet-to-nab-14-accused.html
A year has gone by since the serial blasts
hit the capital but police is yet to nab 14 suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists
believed to be behind the attacks that left 26 people dead and 133 others
injured.
Five blasts ripped through the capital on
the evening of September 13 last year, for which terror group Indian Mujahideen
had claimed responsibility.
As the city remembers the victims with moist
eyes and prayers, a senior police official said they were on the trail and
doing everything possible to catch those involved in the blasts, including
Indian Mujahideen chief Amir Raza Khan.
Police had caught 12 men suspected to be behind
the blasts a few days after the incident besides killing two in a fierce encounter
in a flat in south Delhi's Jamia Nagar a week after the explosions.
In the encounter, which the locals and a section
of political parties claimed was fake, Delhi Police lost its encounter specialist
Mohan Chand Sharma.
However, the police got a shot in the arm
when the National Human Rights Commission gave a clean chit to the police.
Police believe that Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba
militant outfit aided the Indian Mujahideen in the blasts and one of its operative
Abu Alkama masterminded it with the help of Amir Raza Khan, the chief of Indian
Mujahideen, Iqbal Bhatkal and Riyz Bhatkal.
Police announced Rs five lakh reward for anyone
giving information about the four terrorists. The other terrorists are carrying
a reward of Rs one lakh on their head.
"Alakama is the main mastermind behind
the creation of Indian Mujahideen and is responsible for the September 13
blasts. He is also involved in serial blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and UP,"
the official said, adding Khan was allegedly working under the direct command
of Alkama.
Five FIRs were registered in connection with
the blasts.
Others against whom the reward of Rs one lakh
has been announced include Ariz Khan (23), Shahzad Ahmad (20), Mohd Sajid
(22), Mirza Sadab Baig (25), Mohd Khalid (25) Dr Shahnawaz (28), Hakim (23),
Salman (19) and Mohd Khalid (25).
Police also raised the reward amount on Ariz
Khan (23) and Shahzad Ahmad (21), both hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh
district. The duo had escaped from Batla House on September 19 during the
encounter with police.
Police is banking on the witness statements
of over 200 people, including 73 civilians, 37 doctors and around 15 policemen.
Among the witnesses is a 12-year-old balloon seller.
Victim's parents yet to receive compensation
PTI | New DelhiL: As the September 13 terror
attacks in the national capital completes one year on Sunday, Jahir Ahmed,
who lost his son in one of the serial explosions, was still moving from pillar
to post to get the compensation.
Ahmed's son Tahir Ahmed, who worked as a mechanic,
was critically injured in the explosion near Barakhamba in central Delhi and
died after remaining in the ICU of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for 13 days.
Initially, a compensation of Rs 50,000 was
announced for Tahir's injury. But, after his death, his parents returned the
amount and claimed a similar compensation of Rs five lakh announced for the
families of the dead.
According to officials, a cheque carrying
the compensation amount of Rs five lakh was sent to Tahir's permanent address
in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. The local authorities were directed to deliver
the check to the concerned family after proper verification.
"But, by the time the local verification was completed, the check had
expired and hence was not delivered to me," Jahir, an electrician, said.
When he approached the Divisional Commissioner's
office in Jhansi, he was told that the cheque was sent back for renewal to
the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in New Delhi district.
He said he was pursuing the matter with the
authorities in both Jhansi and Delhi for the past five months but is "still
waiting for the cheque."
