Prime suspect in Kanpur train derailment, arrested in Nepal

[Upagrah]

no am ok...
it could be a sabotage of a local group.. or even more likely simple accident(yeah IR has accidents.. much more easy to believe that)... blaming ISI is our default position.. have you heard some of the other utterances of UP police?
Anyway, its upto you to believe govt version of the story, it makes zero sense to me, they can kill people much more spectacular way or go for destroying important assets... not derail a inconsequential train in the middle of nowhere.. btw its not very difficult to derail a train... if they really wanted to kill bunch of people, they will be doing more regularly.
I find it hard to believe intelligent people like you buy the govt line so easily.
And I am serious, please tell an incident which you think govt can blame on ISI but you will be very skeptical about it... not kabootar type, more real world event.

Why are you so keen that Indians disbelieve their own elected govt. about ISI activities ? ?

You want them to believe you ?

Maybe ISI lacks imagination to make a "spectacular way to destroy important assets". Why don't you tell them how ? Maybe its because "important assets" are well protected in India

The best they can do is some random bomb blasts and derail trains.

Then hope that this will be enough to convince Indian govt. to come back to the negotiating table and talk "peace". Some how I feel that is NOT going to happen with the Modi got.

 

[Sky lord]

no am ok...
it could be a sabotage of a local group.. or even more likely simple accident(yeah IR has accidents.. much more easy to believe that)... blaming ISI is our default position.. have you heard some of the other utterances of UP police?
Anyway, its upto you to believe govt version of the story, it makes zero sense to me, they can kill people much more spectacular way or go for destroying important assets... not derail a inconsequential train in the middle of nowhere.. btw its not very difficult to derail a train... if they really wanted to kill bunch of people, they will be doing more regularly.
I find it hard to believe intelligent people like you buy the govt line so easily.
And I am serious, please tell an incident which you think govt can blame on ISI but you will be very skeptical about it... not kabootar type, more real world event.

Glad to know you are OK. Your new name is really morbid though!

OK so here's my take for what it's worth..first I haven't followed this too closely..so don't know what exactly UP police said etc.

1. It is not difficult to tell the difference between an accident an intentional derailment. I bet I could do it, and I'm sure the police are trained to do that sort of thing.however lets assume the police are influenceable ....but influenceable by both SP and BJP.

2. What local group and why? The only violent groups in India are the Islamist and the communists. I don't think the nexalites operate in that area and as for the various Islamist groups, The government gets the same political mileage (if it were done for political mileage) by pointing at them as they would pointing at ISI.

3. Why not pick at a more spectacular venue? Because we have a different government and there is only so far they can push India, Modi tends to react quite differently to Manmohan Singh. Beside they may have needed to do something quite quick and easy as a response to the surgical strikes without at the same time tipping India into a full blown reaction. If they kill people regularly- again there is a tipping point. The ISI tends to poke, retreat, gauge reaction , then poke again. They don't go all out because that would leave no room for the Indian government to do anything short of an all out reaction.

4. Yes, it did cross my mind that this was pretty close to the UP election, but if it was solely a political gimmick, I don't think the PM himself would have been involved. They have plenty of loudmouths in the BJP who could have done the job instead.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/madhya-pradesh/eight-injured-in-mp-train-explosion_1984231.html
Bhopal: At least eight persons were injured in an explosion in a passenger train in Shajapur district in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, authorities said.

According to police, a coach caught fire after the explosion near the Jabri railway station. The injured were taken to the Kalapipal hospital.

The cause of the explosion is not known. The police have not ruled out the use of explosives in the incident.

The train was going to Ujjain from Bhopal, according to A.K. Siddiqui, a railway officer. A medical van was rushed to the site, the police said.

Shujalpur Sub Divisional Officer Amit Mishra told IANS that the coach was badly affected in the incident. "It has been detached from the train," he said.


First Published: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 - 16:43

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...palujjain-passenger-train/article17422081.ece

Eight persons were on Tuesday injured, two of them seriously, in a blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train near Jabdi station, a railway official said.

The blast occurred in a coach between 9.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. when it was on its way to Ujjain from Bhopal, Railway PRO, Indore, Jitendra Kumar Jayant, said.

A bomb disposal squad has reached the accident site, which is around 80 km from Bhopal, and is trying to ascertain the cause and the nature of the blast.

“The ceiling of the coach was damaged in the blast but so far we have not found any explosive device or its remains from the spot,” GRP Indore SP Krishnaveni Desavatu told PTI.

“However, a suitcase was found in the coach and the bomb disposal squad is examining it,” he said.

The PRO said two coaches were damaged in the blast.

They were separated from the train, which later left for its onward journey.

The two seriously injured were referred to a hospital in Bhopal. The others were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kalapipal town, which is close to the accident site.

Ujjain range ADGP V. Madhu Kumar and senior officials of the Ratlam railway division have rushed to the accident site.


The exact cause of the blast will be known after an examination of the affected coach, Mr. Kumar said.

The glass panes of the windows in the general coach were shattered in the blast, which occurred when the train was about to reach Jabdi station.

The Jabdi station falls between Kalapipal and Sehore railway stations.

Smoke engulfed the general coach, causing panic among the passengers who rushed out to save themselves.

A relief train has been rushed to the site, the PRO said.

Helpline numbers

Railways have made available helpline numbers for those seeking information about their relatives in the train.

The numbers are — Ujjain 0734-1072 and 0734-60906, Indore 0731-1072, 0731-2521044, 0731-2521045 and 0731-2521046, Ratlam 07412-1072, Nagda 07366-1072, Bhopal 0755-4001606 and 0755-56508 and Habibganj 0755-4001603 and 0755-55551.

The injured passengers were identified as — Bharti Yadav (18), Athar Hussain (55), Jiya Kushwaha (27), Pushpa Kushwaha (39), Neha Yadav (17), Babulal Malviya (45), Wasim (25) and Amrit Sahu (40), the PRO said.

Ms. Bharti Yadav and Mr. Hussain were the seriously injured.

 

[patman]

finally, joint investigation is on way

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/599993/suspected-terrorist-opens-fire-security.html

One suspected terrorist opened fire at security forces on Tuesday in Thakurganj area of Lucknow. The 'terrorist' is suspected to be involved in Tuesday's Ujjain-Bhopal train blast.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terror Squad cordoned off the densely populated area. A search operation is also underway and residents of the area have been asked to stay indoors during the operation.

In a press conference, ADG (Law & Order) Daljit Chaudhary said they had received inputs about presence of some suspects in Kanpur and Lucknow. “We got the input from outside the state.. Can’t say anything on what is the module ad which group he belongs to... Our focus is to catch him alive,” Chaudhary told ANI.

"One suspect arrested from Kanpur, the second one is inside a building in Thakurganj. He has not come out yet," said Chaudhary. Uttar Pradesh concludes its seven days of voting tomorrow in a fiercely-contested election.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...ted-terrorist-lucknow-encounter-underway.html

Madhya Pradesh's IG Law & Order has confirmed the train blast, in which 8 people were injured, was a terrorist attack.

A shootout between a suspected terrorist and Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad began in Thakurganj area of Lucknow on Tuesday. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)
Lucknow: Hours before the penultimate phase of polling in the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, a suspected terrorist on Tuesday was cornered in the thickly-populated Thakurganj area of Lucknow.

The man refused to surrender to the police and the operation at the Haji colony is underway.


According to PTI, the suspect is linked to a blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train near Jabdi station in Shajapur.

"We were informed that few suspects were lodged in Kanpur and Lucknow. The police and senior officials of the ATS went in the search. The suspect who was found in Kanpur has been arrested. The second suspect has holed himself up in a house in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow. The operation is still on to get him out of the house," Additional Director General (ADG) of Police of Uttar Pradesh Daljeet Choudhary told ANI.


"We believe this man is a resident of Lucknow. The tip-off that we received came from outside the state. We also suspect him of possessing weapons. We will try our best to bring this operation to its logical end as soon as possible," he added.

ADG Choudhary also said that they only suspect the presence of just one inside the house. The suspect, said to have fired shots at security forces, has holed himself up in a house.

"We have been working on the tip-off, but, as far as the linkages and modules are concerned, the details can only be revealed once we get hold of the person. For now, we suspect the presence of just one in the building," ADG Choudhary said.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) commandoes are trying to catch the person alive.

“In order to arrest him alive, we used chilli bombs but he has not come out yet. He is firing intermittently,”ANI quoted IG ATS as saying.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh's IG Law & order Makrand Devaskar has confirmed that Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train explosion that took place on Tuesday was a terrorist attack. At least eight people were injured in the attack.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Railways
07-March, 2017 19:20 IST
Incidence of Blast in Bhopal Ujjain Passenger train in Madhya Pradesh

An incidence of blast took place in train no.59320 Bhopal Ujjain Passenger near Jabri Railway Station in Shajapur district of Madhya Pradesh. This spot falls in the jurisdiction of Ratlam division of Western Railway. At 09.50 hrs the guard informed that the blast took place in ordinary second class coach next to guard’s brake van. Ambulances reached the spot at 10 am. The guard of the train immediately acted and informed the control, state police and local ambulances. After the blast, the affected coach was segregated from the train and fire extinguisher was used to control fire.

It is reported that 08 passengers sustained injuries in the accident, There has been no casualty. 8 passengers injured in the incident were immediately rushed for treatment to Civil Hospital, Kalapipal with the assistance of 108. Railway doctors are assisting the civil hospital doctors.

As the news reached the Ministry of Railways, the officials took up the matter with field officers. Member Traffic Mohd Jamshed spoke to Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh. G.M. Western Railway coordinated with DGP, Madhya Pradesh. DRM, Ratlam Division, Western Railway reached the spot. State Police, RPF, Forensic experts and dog squad also reached the spot. Prima facie, the incident appears to be a low intensity blast. However, the exact cause will be known after reports by the Forensic authorities.

All passengers of the affected train were taken to Ujjain by another train. Police clearance of the line was given at 14.50 pm. Track has been certified safe at 15.10 hrs. First train on up line passed at 15.12 hrs. Due to this incident no major traffic repercussion was reported, as single line working was ensured by diverting the trains on this double line section.

It is to be noted that till date 40 incidents including events of sabotage have been reported in this year 2017 as compared to 45 incidents happened in the year 2016. Three incidents are being investigated by NIA and one incident is being inquired by CBI. Ministry of Railways has seriously viewed today’s incident and has beefed up the security.

****

 

[Hindustani78]

Two terror suspects held in Kanpur, one in Etawah, says U.P. ADGP Daljit Chaudhary.
One person linked to a group involved in Tuesday's Ujjain-Bhopal train blast has been arrested from Kanpur and another one is holed up in a building in Lucknow where efforts were on to nab him.

Utt

Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad personnel take position during their operation against a suspected terrorist holed up inside a building in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow on Tuesday.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-way-up-dgp/article17422805.ece?homepage=true

ar Pradesh DGP Javeed Ahmed told The Hindu, “We have cornered one extremist who is linked to the group involved in the [Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train] blast.”

However, he said, the Madhya Pardesh train blast is nowhere linked to the Kanpur train accident.

PTI quoted U.P. ADGP (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary as saying that the “holed up terror suspect might have links with Islamic State”. Mr. Chaudhary, quoted by the news agency, added that two terror suspects were held in Kanpur and one in Etawah.

The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Madhya Pradesh Police on Tuesday’s blast in which eight people were injured, two of them seriously.

The blast occurred in a coach between 9.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the train was on its way to Ujjain from Bhopal.

 

[Hindustani78]

People gather near the site of the encounter between security forces and a suspected terrorist who was holed up inside a building in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow.

http://zeenews.india.com/india/luck...-state-gaining-foothold-in-india_1984396.html

New Delhi: The Ujjain train blast, which led to the Thakurganj encounter in Lucknow, probably marks the first attack by the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State in India, involving local recruits radicalised from within the country.

A suspected Islamic State operative was killed in the wee hours of Wednesday after an 11-hour-long anti-terror operation conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) commandos.

The security officials involved in the operation made their best efforts to persuade the suspect, who was holed up in a house in Haji colony of Thakurganj area, to surrender but in vain.

After the initial exchange for fire, the ATS commandos lobbed chilly bombs inside the house to incapacitate him, but to no avail. Police teams bored a hole in the roof and blew up the back wall of the building to enter the house.

Senior police officials were camping at the site to oversee the operation, which was also being monitored by the Union Home Ministry.

Initially, it was suspected that there were two IS operatives inside the house but that turned out to be a false alarm as police found the body of only one. One pistol and a revolver was found in possession of Saifullah, the terror suspect who was killed.

Separately, a module, radicalised by the deadly terrorist organisation Islamic State, triggered a low-intensity blast in a train in Madhya Pradesh earlier on Tuesday, injuring 10 passengers.

The morning blast on the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train at Jabri railway station is possibly the first instance of a terror strike by an IS module in India.

The blast on the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train spurred the Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh police to launch coordinated operations in the two states.

Soon, eight members of the group were arrested, while UP's Anti-Terror Squad got "concrete" information from intelligence about the presence of gang leader Saifullah, believed to be involved in a train blast in Madhya Pradesh.

When the ATS officials went to apprehend him, he suddenly opened fire on the team from the house.

The Times of India quoted sources in central intelligence agencies as well as MP and UP police confirming that that the module owes allegiance to IS.

However, it is yet to be ascertained whether the directive to carry out the attack came from an "online handler" of the international terrorist network currently engaged in a grim battle of survival in Iraq and Syria.

IS is known for its federated way of functioning where it encourages jihadis loyal to it to select their targets and hit them.

So far, intelligence agencies had been able to nip terror plots by IS-inspired jihadis before they could be executed.

The house in which Saifullah was killed belonged to Badshah Khan, resident of Malihabad, and the accused had been living there with two others for the past two months.

They posed as students and did not mingle with the neighbours, an ATS official said and informed that efforts were now underway to nab the two accomplices who were at large.

In a related development, another suspect of a sleeper module has been held from Kanpur by the ATS.

Police picked up two suspects from Lakhna in Etawah and three in Kanpur.

This is for the first time that an attack has been carried out by IS in India, using the recruits radicalised from within the country. Previously, IS had tried to carry out many attacks in Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, through various modules but all such attempts were foiled.

In last one year, NIA and police of various states have arrested about 60 Indian-origin IS recruits before they could carry out attacks. These men were part of at least 6-7 modules, which couldn't carry attacks.

Following the Lucknow gunfight, an alert has been sounded at the Lucknow International Airport and at prominent railway stations across the state.

Police and intelligence officials have been directed to step up vigil and keep a close watch on busy thoroughfares, malls and markets.

http://zeenews.india.com/madhya-pra...pipe-bomb-sent-pictures-to-syria_1984450.html

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed on Wednesday that that three Islamic State operatives had placed the pipe bomb in the 59320 Bhopal-Ujjain train and sent picturs of the same to Syria.

Speaking to ANI here, Chouhan further informed that the three terrorists, who hailed from Kanpur and Kannauj, had made plans to rush back to Lucknow once their nefarious plans to set off the bomb had come through.

"The explosives recovered from them had inscriptions on it saying `ISIS- we are in India`. The terrorists even uploaded the picture of the pipe bomb they had placed in the train and the then sent it to Syria. So it`s proof that they were related to ISIS," he said.

The Chief Minister also revealed that the terrorists had learned the mechanism of making a bomb on the internet and then trained to carry out the explosion.

"They had placed the timer of the bomb in such a way that it explodes in two hours. Fortunately the pipe bomb was placed in an upper berth, which significantly reduced the damage and loss of lives in the attack. Our ATS was in constant touch with central agencies and nabbed them. Ateef Mazaffar was their mastermind and Mohammad Danish and Sayyed Mir Hussain were also caught,'' he added.

Hailing the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for the nabbing the accused so quickly, Chouhan also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vigilance in ensuring there was smooth coordination between the state and central agencies.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh`s Inspector General (IG) of Police, Law and order Makrand Devaskar has confirmed the explosion, which took place in Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train in Shajapur district yesterday, was a terrorist attack.


"It was an IED blast and IED blasts are always terrorist attacks. The police have arrested three persons from Pipariya," Devaskar said.


At least nine people were injured after the explosion. Taking cognizance of the matter, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said that an investigation has been initiated into the matter."

All officers already reached the spot and at least nine are injured in which two are critical. The investigation is on and according to initial reports there is an odor of gun powder." Singh told ANI.

"Injured passengers are admitted to Kalapipal government hospital and a medical team is also sent to the location," said Bhopal Division of Indian Railways PRO, IA Siddiqui.

The guard of Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train informed the passengers at 9.50 am about the explosion that took place ahead of guard coach, next to front of sleeper class, while the train was on run in block section between the Jabdi and Kalapipal stations.

With ANI inputs


First Published: Wednesday, March 8, 2017 - 11:21

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-case-in-mp/article17426714.ece?homepage=true

A team of federal probe agency NIA on Wednesday reached Bhopal to look into the train blast case in Madhya Pradesh, suspected to be a terror attack.

The officials of National Investigation Agency (NIA) may visit the site of the blast near Jabri railway station under Shajapur district, about 60 kms from Bhopal, official sources said.

They said the NIA officials will interact with Madhya Pradesh police personnel and verify leads available with them to ascertain whether the explosion was a terror attack.


Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh had on Tuesday said that the initial investigation suggested the blast was a terror attack and investigation was underway to unravel the conspiracy behind the incident.

At least 10 people were injured, three of them seriously, in the blast on Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train.

Madhya Pradesh Inspector General (Intelligence) Makrand Deoskar had said the blast was carried out “by planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)”.

Eight pistols, 650 rounds of ammunition, 50 fired rounds, explosives materials, Islamic State flag, gold, cash, passports, SIM cards, and a railway map have been recovered.
http://indianexpress.com/article/in...ways-map-train-blast-items-recovered-4559752/

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: March 8, 2017 11:22 am

Eight pistols, 650 rounds of ammunition, 50 fired rounds, explosives materials, Islamic State flag, gold, cash, passports, SIM cards, and a railway map have been recovered. (Source: ANI)

The nearly 12-hour long encounter in Lucknow’s Thakurganj ended in the killing of a suspected Islamic State terrorist belonging to the Khorasan module on Wednesday morning. The suspect was identified as Mohammad Saifurullah, a resident of Kanpur. After all efforts to persuade Saifurullah failed, the Uttar Pradesh Anti Terror Squad, around 2.30 am, stormed into the house he was holed up in and neutralised the suspect. The mopping-up operation saw the ATS recover arms and several rounds of ammunition, among other things from the suspect’s residence.

Eight pistols, 650 rounds of ammunition, 50 fired rounds, explosives materials, Islamic State flag, gold, cash, passports, SIM cards, mobile phones, walkie-talkies and a railway map have been recovered from the Lucknow house where the suspected terrorist was found. The ATS swiftly moved in to nab the suspect after receiving specific inputs from the Telangana Police. While conducting combing operations in the area, the suspect opened fire at the security personnel and locked himself inside the house he was living in.

Saifurullah is believed to be linked to Tuesday’s Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast in which 10 passengers were injured — three of them are in a critical condition. Confirming that the explosion which ripped through a general coach between 9.30 am and 10.00 am was an act of terror, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan linked the attack to Islamic State operatives saying that they sent a photograph of the IED after planting it in the train. “We have proof of the involvement of ISIS,” Chouhan said.

© The Indian Express Online Media Pvt Ltd

 

[Hindustani78]

Sartaj Khan, father of suspected terrorist Saifullah in Kanpur on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: PTI
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...or-refuses-to-accept-body/article17428430.ece

Bereaved dad wants terror charges proved
Several hours have passed since he made a bold statement about not accepting his youngest son and alleged terrorist Saifullah’s body. Sartaj Khan makes it clear that it was not an angry or a spontaneous reaction. But even as he stands by his decision, he demands that the allegations made by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad be proved, for he had never imagined that this day would come.

According to a PTI report, Mr. Sartaj said: “A traitor cannot be my son, straight and simple.” He refused to take Saifullah’s body, saying, “A traitor cannot be related to me, let alone be my son.”

Saifullah, he says, was indeed the black sheep in the family, despite being the only one among his three sons (Khalid and Mujahid are the other two) to enter college. But the tannery supervisor’s reason to complain was nowhere close to the narrative provided by the police.

“His reluctance to support the family by taking up a job was why I was miffed. I can say with surety that there was nothing in his behaviour that suggested he could be a terrorist or even an outlaw,” says Mr. Sartaj.

College dropout
The strained relations between the father and son persisted for a long time. In between, Saifullah dropped out of Manohar Lal Mahavidyalaya after finishing second year, tried his hand at learning computer accounting and even assisted a lawyer in preparing sales tax cases. But for one reason or the other, stable employment eluded him and, with the passage of time, his father’s impatience only grew.

Sitting in the courtyard of their single-storey house next to a mosque in Maqdoom Nagar, Mr. Sartaj recalls that fateful evening when he forced Saifullah to leave. “A couple of months ago we had a huge argument. I slapped him and asked him to leave the house. We never heard from him again,” he says.

His eldest son and the only other accessible member of the family Mr. Khalid adds that Saifullah told them before leaving that he would look for opportunities in Mumbai and try to travel to Saudi Arabia for work.

It is a rather curious coincidence that Danish, one of Saifullah’s three cousins arrested for allegedly being a part of the same module, left home after a similar argument with his father Naseem, Mr. Sartaj’s elder brother.

Religious his brother may have been, but Mr. Khalid never saw signs of radicalisation. “He enjoyed music and a lot of other things that hardliners may not approve of,” he says. Their mother died in an accident in 2014, but the family does not believe that brought about any change in Saifullah.

As the conversations with Mr. Sartaj and Mr. Khalid is on, the other members of the family are in the next room. The door is closed and the only sound that can be heard is from the television of people lauding the father’s statement.

Mr. Sartaj’s remarkable composure is missing in Mr. Khalid’s response to the tragedy. He says they won’t accept the body because “our father has made the decision and we stand by it.”

The narrative too has changed a bit since the encounter in Lucknow. Investigators are now non-committal about the arrested persons being part of the Islamic State. Among other things, the family also wants a probe into the “seizure” of a huge cache of arms from the house where Saifullah was gunned down.

The family’s theory is that even in the event of the allegations being true, it was more because of bad influence of others around him, rather than Saifullah’s own inclination towards radicalisation.

This is where the focus shifts to the cousins Danish, Faisal and Imran, who were also arrested and are believed to have tipped off the police about Safiullah's location.

“They were welcome here like cousins anywhere else are. If there was anything beyond this, it's for the police to find out,” says Mr. Sartaj.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/indian-chief-minister-says-daesh-behind-train-attack/766756

Daesh was behind Tuesday’s pipe bomb attack on a passenger train in central Madhya Pradesh state that left 10 people injured, according to the state’s chief minister Wednesday.

About proof of Daesh’s involvement in the attack, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said a suspect involved in the blast sent a photograph to someone in Syria after planting the pipe bomb.

“We have proof of involvement of IS [Daesh] in the blast. Even photographs of the bomb were sent to Syria after it was planted,” Chouhan said.

He named Ateef Muzaffar as a primary suspect in the attack.

The passenger train was going from Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, to Ujjain, a city within the same state, when an explosion took place in one of the coaches near Jabri station.

According to local police, this is the first ever strike in India by Daesh.

Police added the bomb was hidden inside a bag. Several passengers had jumped from the moving train following the attack.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh on Tuesday had termed the blast as a terror attack based on preliminary investigations.

Singh also said three people had been arrested after the incident.

A large cache of ammunition and a timetable of trains was also recovered from the residence of terror suspect Saifullah, who was killed in a police encounter last night, he added.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/600479/eight-suspects-arrested-mp-up.html

Eight suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the blast on a train in Madhya Pradesh and the subsequent anti-terror operations leading to the killing of alleged terrorist Saifullah in Lucknow, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Rajya Sabha today.

Making a statement during the Zero Hour on incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on March 7 and 8, he also showered praise on Saifullah's father Sartaj who has refused to take the body of his son, amid thumping of benches by the entire House.

After the statement, several Opposition members wanted to seek clarification from the minister. Singh would reply to members on the "next working day". "Till March 8, six accused were arrested. With the arrest of two more accused by UP ATS on March 9, total 8 arrests have been made in these incidents so far," the minister said.

Singh, who had made statement in this regard in Lok Sabha yesterday, said UP ATS sieged the house in which Saifullah was hiding in Haji Colony area of Lucknow and made vigorous attempts to nab the suspect.

"However, he refused to surrender and started firing on ATS team. Ultimately, after 12 hours of effort, the ATS team entered the room in which Saifulla was holed up and in the ensuing encounter, this suspected terrorist was killed," he said, and gave other details regarding the incidents.

He said that due to the prompt action taken by the police of both the states, "a possible threat to national security was successfuly averted". Praising Sartaj, Singh said the "entire country is proud of him".

The minister said India's culture is such that no Hindu, Muslim or Christian will endorse any terror activity in the country, as members from all sides thumped of their desks. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the statement of Sartaj reflects the sentiments of the nation and there could be no compromise on terrorism.

Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said since the minister has made a statement on the issue, members should be allowed to seek clarification. He got support from several other Opposition members.

Later it was decided that Singh would make himself available to members for clarification on the next working day. The Home Minister informed the House that eight pistols, 630 live cartridges, Rs 1.5 lakh, three mobiles phone, four sim cards, two wireless sets and some foreign currency were recovered from the place where Saifullah lived. According to UP police, Saifullah belonged to a self-proclaimed group of ISIS supporters.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
10-March, 2017 12:02 IST
Text of statement of Union Home Minister regarding incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

Following is the text of statement of the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha today regarding incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on March 7-8, 2017:

“As per the available information, on 7th March, 2017 at 09.41 hours a blast took place in the general compartment of train no. 59320 Bhopal-Ujjain Passenger near railway station Jabdi, district Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh. 10 passengers got injuries in this blast and railway property was also damaged. The injured were immediately rushed to the hospital. All the injured are presently out of danger.

With regard to the above incident, a case crime number 47/17 u/s 3/4 Explosive Substances Act was registered against unknown accused in police station GRP, Ujjain for investigation on the report of train guard.

As soon as the information about the incident was received, DGP, Madhya Pradesh rushed to the spot along with other senior officers of Police and Administration and initiated necessary action with regard to the investigation of the incident. Initial inspection of the scene of crime indicated that the accused had used an IED prepared by using locally available explosives for the blast.

Madhya Pradesh Police coordinated with central agencies for the investigation of the incident. Subsequently, based on available intelligence, three suspects were taken into custody by Madhya Pradesh Police during vehicle checking at a place Pipariya in district Hoshangabad. Interrogation of these suspects indicated their involvement in the aforesaid incident and they were arrested. Further investigation of the case is being done in coordination with central agencies and information is being collected about other accomplices of the accused.

Based on the interrogation of the above suspects and other available information, Uttar Pradesh Police initiated action at different places in Lucknow, Etawah, Kanpur and Auraiya.

In Lucknow, Information was received about one Mohammad Saifullah alias Ali, resident of Kanpur, renting an accommodation in Haji Colony, Police Station Kakori. ATS Uttar Pradesh laid a siege of the house and made vigorous attempts to arrest the suspect Saifullah. However, he refused to surrender and started firing on ATS team. Ultimately, after 12 hours of efforts, the ATS team entered the room in which Saifullah was holed up and in the ensuing encounter, this suspected terrorist was killed. From the room of the deceased, 8 pistols, 630 live cartridges and other material which included cash of Rs. 1.5 lakh, about 45 grams gold, 3 mobile phones, 4 sim cards, 2 wireless sets and some foreign currency was recovered.

A case crime number 2/2017 u/s 307/121A/122/123/124-A IPC, 3/4/25/27 Arms Act and 16/18/23 UAPA has been registered at Police Station ATS, Lucknow with regard to the incident.
ATS Kanpur Unit has arrested one more suspect from Jajmau Police Station area against whom a case crime number 3/2017 u/s 121/121A/123/124A IPC and 16/18/23/38 of UAPA has been registered.

Apart from the above, two more accused, one from Etawah and one from Auraiya have been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police on the charge of supplying weapons to the above gang of suspected terrorists.

Till 8th March, 6 accused were arrested in the above incidents. With the arrest of 2 more accused by U.P. A.T.S. on 9th March, total 8 arrests have been made in these incidents so far.

The above sequence of events presents an excellent example of coordination amongst the State Police and Central Agencies. Due to the prompt action taken by the police of both the States, a possible threat to the national security was successfully averted. Further investigations will be handed over to NIA.”


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[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/601743/nia-takes-over-probe-ujjain.html

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train in Madhya Pradesh, in which a “self- radicalised and IS-inspired” module is claimed to be involved.

The police had killed one person in an encounter in connection with the blast and eight people have been arrested. Sources said the accused will be handed over to the NIA.

Investigators in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have handed over the documents related to their probe to the NIA. The NIA will soon start questioning the accused.

Saifullah, who was killed in the recent Lucknow encounter, is suspected to be linked to the blast and belonged to a self-proclaimed group of IS supporters.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/twin-explosions-near-agra-station/article17526436.ece

Security has also been enhanced at the Taj Mahal in the wake of a media report of a threat to the 17th century monument from terror outfit ISIS.
Two low intensity blast took place in Agra early on Saturday morning. No injury or loss of life was reported because of the explosions. According to officials both the blasts happened at 6:45 a.m. near Agra Cant railway station.

While the first blast took place at the dumping ground near the railway track, the other one happened in a house in the nearby slum. The blasts took place a day after a note threatening terror attack was found near Bhandai railway station in Agra.

Divisional Railway Manager of Agra, Prabhash Kumar told the media that UP police has taken over the investigation with officials of local forensic department at the spot.

"Two blasts were heard early in the morning near Agra Cant railway station. The causes of the blasts are not yet known. But the UP police has initiated the investigation with a forensic team on the spot".

According to local police officials the blasts were heard when garbage was being dumped from the garbage ground into a tractor trolley near the railway track. The blasts led to scare and fear in the vicinity of the railway station.

Police officials told The Hindu that the local residents saw smoke after the blasts in the air for fifteen minutes. "Investigation is still going on about the two blasts which happened near the railway station.

The second blast took off in a locality which is about 250 meters away from the railway track. local residents living in that area, told the police that the walls of the nearby houses shook when the blast happened. We are trying to find out intensity of the blasts. But no one was hurt and no loss of life has been reported due to the blasts," a senior police official told The Hindu on phone from Agra.

Further details were waited as no officials was ready to speak more about the blast on the pretext jat the investigation were still not complete. Security of Taj Mahal was stepped up on Friday after a link threatening possible terrors attack on the Taj Mahal was found to be circulated on social media.

 

[Hindustani78]

Tight vigil: A SWAT team inspects the site behind the Taj Mahal after Saturday’s blasts. | Photo Credit: PTI
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/no-terror-angle-in-agra-blasts/article17530248.ece




Preliminary investigations suggest crude bomb and tyre explosion, say police

Hours after there were reports of two low-intensity blasts in Agra early on Saturday morning, city police officials declared that preliminary investigations seem to indicate only one of the two was a “crude bomb blast”. Officials clarified that the other blast seemed to actually be a “tyre blast”.

While the investigation was still going on, senior police officials categorically denied any terror angle to the explosions. No injury or loss of life was reported.

According to officials, loud sounds were heard at 6.45 a.m. near the Agra Cantonment Railway Station.

“While the first loud sound was reported when a garbage dump was being cleared, the other one happened in a house in the nearby slum,” said a police official. The reported blast took place a day after a note threatening a terror attack was found near the Bhandai Railway Station in Agra.

The Divisional Railway Manager of Agra, Prabhash Kumar, told the media that the U.P. police was investigating with officials of the local forensic department at the spot. “What seemed to be two loud sounds were heard early in the morning near the Agra Cantt. Railway Station. The causes of the apparent blasts are not yet known. But the U.P. police has initiated the investigation with a forensic team on the spot,” Mr. Kumar told the media.

‘Forensic report awaited’

Police officials told The Hindu that the local residents saw smoke in the air after the blasts for about fifteen minutes.

“We are still waiting for the forensic report but there is no evidence to indicate a terror angle to it,” a senior police official told The Hindu on phone from Agra.

Security for the Taj Mahal was stepped up on Friday after a link threatening possible terror strikes on the monument was circulated on social media.