The Hindu : Front Page : Mecca Masjid blast: train ticket may become crucial clue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007
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Mecca Masjid blast: train ticket may become crucial clue

Marri Ramu

HYDERABAD: A train ticket found on the premises of Mecca Masjid, investigators hope, might lead them to the culprits behind the bomb blast in the historic mosque that left nine persons dead.

Days after the explosion, local police officials stumbled upon the reserved railway ticket during routine inspection of the mosque. Seats were reserved for three men -- in their 30s -- to travel from Secunderabad to Kolkata on the day of the blast.

Initially, police thought the ticket could have been carried by one of the `namazis' who came to offer `jumma' prayers and lost it while rushing out when the bomb went off. But the `Kolkata angle' assumed importance since one of the suspects Samir was caught by the BSF along with three others in April while sneaking into West Bengal from Bangladesh border.

During subsequent investigation Samir reportedly confessed to having played crucial role in carrying out the Mumbai train blasts.

"It is not just Samir's link to West Bengal that is arousing suspicion but also the proximity of Kolkata to Bangladesh from where agents of several terrorist outfits are operating," a police officer said.

Shahed alias Bilal, at whom the needle of suspicion was pointed following the blast, is reportedly operating from Gulf countries and Bangladesh as well.

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