The Delhi Police, on 14 February, arrested Ariz Khan, a suspected operative of Indian Mujahideen (IM) who had been on the run since the 2008 Batla House encounter.
The 32-year-old carried out serial bombings that killed 165 and injured 535 in multiple serial blasts across Delhi, Jaipur, Uttar Pradesh and Ahmedabad a decade ago.
The alleged IM operative was born in Azamgarh and studied at different schools in Uttar Pradesh. Police investigation revealed that he and his elder brother Shariq Khan stayed with their uncle Dr Fakhre Alam and started studying at the Shibly National Nursery School from where he shifted to another school.
Khan alias Junaid came in touch with radicals while living as a student in various localities of Azamgarh.
A Delhi police special cell officer said his friend Atif Ameen introduced him to the “Tameer-E-Millat” magazine, Jehadi audio cassettes of Maulana Masood Azhar, Islamic Tarane and videos of Palestine War.
Khan’s Great Escape to Nepal
Khan dropped out of college after failing in the second year. He escaped from the Batla House encounter and roamed around seeking shelter in Uttar Pradesh, Rajashtan and Maharashtra. Most of his time was spent in buses and trains, the special cell officer said.
Later, he came in touch with a Nepali resident Nizam who helped him cross the Indo-Nepal border from Bihar into the Himalayan country.
The mastermind reached Birat Nagar and managed to get citizenship of Nepal through fake documents.
During his stay in Palpa, Kapilavastu and Gorkha area, Khan initially ran a restaurant and later started teaching in different schools.
Khan’s Wife Kept in Dark About Terror Activities
The 32-year-old worked as a school teacher in Nepal, the officer said.
Police investigation further revealed that the expert bomb-maker married a Nepali Hindu woman four years ago who later converted to Islam and assumed the name of Sara. She was however, unaware of his involvements in terror activities.
“His wife did not know about his involvement with terror blasts and his work as an Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist. He had told her that there was a minor problem and he will deal with it,” said Senior Delhi Police Special cell officer.
(With PTI inputs)
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