Member of Al Ummah, Daniel sheltered terror suspects: Cops

Bengaluru/Chennai: Daniel Prakash, 35, arrested in Tamil Nadu on Sunday for providing explosives used in the Malleswaram blast in 2013, had managed to evade arrest two months ago, said Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths. Police had tried to detain him near Ambasamdudram, Tamil Nadu.
"We traced him near Ambasamudram and managed to stop his bike at a residential locality.But Daniel sped away. We tried our best to nab him. But he broke the finger of a constable and fled. We failed to follow him as our jeep could not enter the narrow lanes which he crossed on his bike," police added.
According to police, Daniel was an AIADMK activist and a vice-president of Pudukudi gram panchayat near Tirunelveli, TN. "He has a history of sheltering terror suspects. He is a member of the banned outfit Al Ummah," sources said. Police said in 2011, Daniel supplied bombers with explosives, which they used to target BJP leader LK Advani. Cops found the bomb in Alampatti village, 30km from Madurai.
"Between 2012 and 2013, Al Ummah members allegedly assasinated around eight leaders belonging to a Hindu organization. It was Daniel who helped the assailants evade arrest," sources said.
Sold explosives for 2,000 a piece
According to a senior officer, Daniel knew the explosives he was selling would reach Bengaluru. "He also was aware the extremists were planning to plant bombs outside the BJP office," he said.
"Jhone Asir, 35, and Syed Ali, 29, residents of Tirunelveli who were arrested in March for the bombing, informed investigators about Daniel's role in the Bengaluru blast," said assistant commissioner of police, CCB (Bengaluru), Venkatesh Prasanna. "He transported a sack loaded with gelatin sticks and detonators to a desolate place near Mela Pudukudi railway gate," he said.
Police said Daniel admitted he had stolen the gelatin sticks and explosives meant for construction as part of a water project and sold them to the extremists for Rs 2,000 a piece. Panna Ismail, Police Fakrudeen and Kitchen Buhari - currently in prison - picked up the explosives and sent the bag by car to Bengaluru where their accomplices assembled the bomb, planted it on a bike and detonated it on April 17, 2013.