Blast near Dagdusheth temple: Four SIMI members still at large

PUNE: Four members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), accused of triggering a low-intensity blast near the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple on July 10 last year, are still untraceable.
The anti terrorism squad (ATS), Pune, has so far failed to make any headway in the case except identifying the six suspects, two of whom were killed in an encounter in Nalgonda district of Telangana on April 4, 2015.
A bomb planted on a stolen motorbike exploded on the Faraskhana police station premises, located just behind the temple, on July 10, 2014, injuring five persons, including a constable. Three vehicles parked in the area were severely damaged. The ATS had found traces of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, nails and small ball bearings used as sharpnel. No gelatin or RDX was used. The motorcycle belonged to Satara-based policeman, Dada Rasge, who had filed a stolen report on June 25 last year.
The suspects on the run are Shaikh Mehboob alias Guddu Shaikh alias Ismail (30), Amjad Ramzan Khan (35), Zakir Hussain Badrul Hussain alias Sadique (33) and Mohammad Salik alias Sallu Abdul Hakim (32), all residents of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh. Those allegedly killed in a police encounter in Andhra include Mohammad Ejazuddin and Mohammad Aslam.
The temple has been on the terrorists' radar for long. Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Qateel Siddiqui, who was murdered in Yerawada central prison in June 2012, had unsuccessfully tried to plant a bomb outside the temple just before an explosion ripped through the German Bakery on February 13, 2010.
The parking in the premises of Faraskhana and other police stations in the city were banned since the incident for security reasons.
ATS deputy inspector general of police Raghunath Khaire said, "The CCTV near the blast site has helped us identify all the accused. We have launched a massive hunt to trace them. We are questioning people with whom the accused are in touch."
ATS assistant commissioner of police Bhanupratap Barge told TOI, "Three of the five suspects were present on the spot when the blast occurred. Eye witnesses have identified them from the CCTV footage. Two suspects were killed in a police encounter at Nalgonda. These five men resemble the banned SIMI men who escaped from Tantya Bheel jail in Khandwa on October 1, 2013."
Barge said the ATS had identified the hideouts of the suspects in Karnataka, but they fled in time.
"We are working on some clues and conducting searches in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh," said Barge.
ATS claims the five men were also involved in a blast at Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh on September 9, 2014. "We are receiving assistance from the central agencies who are conducting parallel investigations in the case," he added.
Terror Timeline
A bomb planted on a stolen motorbike exploded at Faraskhana police station on July 10, 2014, injuring five persons, including a police constable
The ATS has found traces of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, nails and small ball bearings used as shrapnels in the bomb
No gelatin or RDX used
The motorcycle used for planting the bomb belonged to a Satara policeman, who had filed a stolen report on June 25, 2014
Five suspects identified immediately from CCTV footage; one identified later
Two suspects killed in police encounter in Nalgonda district of Telangana
Blasts' history in Pune
February 13, 2010: Seventeen killed and 64 injured in a powerful blast at German Bakery in Koregaon Park
August 1, 2012: Four co-ordinated low-intensity explosions on J M Road between 7.25 pm and 11.30 pm. One person was injured. Two more bombs were defused
July 10, 2014: A bomb planted on a stolen motorbike exploded at Faraskhana police station, injuring five persons
Reward for reporting blast suspects
The ATS, Pune, has launched a massive hunt for tracing 13 suspects, including two Maoists on the run, for their involvement in the German Bakery and Faraskhana police station blasts. The ATS has announced a reward for any person who will provide details of the suspects. The identity of the person giving information will be protected. The ATS can be contacted on telephone numbers 022-23780944 and 020-25511189.