‘Mastermind’ of railway, pipeline blasts caught

DPO Hyderabad refuses to disclose suspect’s name, his political affiliation.

HYDERABAD: The “mastermind” of the railway and gas pipeline blasts in the province has been arrested from Hyderabad, announced Hyderabad DPO Munir Ahmed Shaikh on Friday. However, he refused to disclose the suspect’s name.

Addressing a press conference at the Police Line Headquarters, the DPO also refused to comment on the mastermind’s political affiliation and the possibility of foreign involvement in the attacks.

He, however, assured that raids were being conducted to arrest other suspects.

“After the blasts, we had raided areas and took 16 suspected people into custody. After initial investigations, we released 12 men. We interrogated the remaining four and from the information they gave us, we were able to reach the mastermind.”

DPO Shaikh said the police know about the cars and motorcycles used in the blast and the elements involved. “Soon, we will have all the suspects in our custody.”

Ten low-intensity explosions echoed across the province on February 11, twin blasts damaged railway tracks at Udero Lal railway station near Hyderabad on February 15 and two more blasts damaged tracks passing through Shah Latif Town, Karachi on Thursday.

According to officials, the Sindhu Desh Liberation Army and the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz are said to be behind the attacks.

Hindu businessman  recovered

In other developments, the police recovered a person allegedly kidnapped for ransom from Jacobabad, the DPO also announced at the press conference. Sunil Kumar, 28, son of Shankar Das, who runs a grocery store in Tandojam, was allegedly abducted from Tajpur Railway Crossing on January 7.

According to DPO Shaikh, the kidnappers had initially demanded Rs20 million for the captive’s release, however, the ransom money was lowered to Rs2 million in the last call received on Thursday. The Tandojam police recorded at least 12 calls made by the kidnappers. No ransom was paid and Kumar was found after a raid by a special police team led by SP investigations Ghulam Nabi Keerio and including Tandojam SP Ata Muhammad Dahiri.

Shankar Das had filed FIR No. 04/2011 under Section 365 at the Tandojam police station.

“The Sindh IG has announced a Rs300,000 reward for all the members of the police team,” the DPO added.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2011.