Alleged Indian Mujahideen men wanted in the Bodh Gaya and Patna blasts by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). (L to R, upper row) Tehseen Akhtar and Haider Ali; (L to R, lower row) Numan Ansari, Taufeeq Ansari and Mojibullah
The National Investigation Agency or NIA today announced a cash reward of upto Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of five men accused in last month's serial blasts in Patna that killed six people and injured 83 others.
The five - Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, Haider Ali alias Abdullah, Numan Ansari, Taufeeq Ansari and Mojibullah - are alleged members of the newly-formed branch of banned terror group Indian Mujahideen which, investigators say, was behind the explosions in Patna ahead of a rally by BJP's prime ministerial candidate
Narendra Modi. The NIA, which is probing the Patna blasts, has said that this group was also responsible for July's multiple blasts in Bodh Gaya in Bihar.
The agency today also released sketches and details of the suspects and sought the general public's "cooperation and assistance" in nabbing them.
While Rs.10 lakh has been announced for any information on Akhtar and Ali, Rs 5 lakh is the amount that will be handed out for leads on the three others. Investigators say Haider Ali is a senior Mujahideen commander who allegedly was in close touch with Akhtar, who has been effectively running the outfit since its alleged co-founder
Yasin Bhatkal was arrested in August.
Two of the accused, in fact, were present in Raipur in Chhattisgarh till November 9, according to revelations reportedly made by a suspected activist of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Sources say Umber Siddiqui, who was arrested by the NIA in Raipur on Thursday, told investigators that the duo stayed with him, and that he also knew all the five accused.
The NIA has also said that the five men, after executing the terror strikes in Patna, had planned to flee to Nepal via Motihari in Bihar.