Secret operation by Bihar Police led to IM chief Bhatkal’s arrest

The operation to arrest Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin Bhatkal was so secret that even after his arrest only few top Bihar Police officers were informed and they too were not told about where he was being held for questioning, an officer said.

Bihar Police played a major role in the arrest of Yasin Bhatkal, who tops the wanted list across the country, Bihar Police chief Abhayanand said.

“It was Bihar Police that mainly helped NIA (National Investigation Agency) and other government agencies to arrest Bhatkal,” Abhyanand told mediapersons here.

Bhatkal was arrested from the India-Nepal border Wednesday night and is in the custody of the Bihar Police.

“A team of Bihar Police officials have interrogated Bhatkal at a secret place after he was arrested,” he said.

East Champaran district Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar said that Bhatkal would be brought to Motihari from Raxaul under tight security before being taken to Delhi.

According to a senior officer at the Police Headquarters here, the entire operation to arrest Bhatkal was kept a close secret till the last moment.

“A few selected police officers were aware of the special operation to arrest Bhatkal,” the officer said.

An additional director general of police rank officer told IANS on condition of anonymity that even after Bhatkal was arrested, only few top officers were informed and they were also not told about where he was kept for interrogation.

“It was a very sensitive case, so information was not shared with others except those involved in this operation,” he said.

The state government has sounded an alert across Bihar, particularly in the border districts following Bhatkal’s arrest.

“We have alerted district police officials and asked them to keep a close watch…,” an official of the state home department said.

As reported by NDTV, the Indian Mujahideen chief’s movements were picked up by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) about a month ago in Nepal.  He had been seen traveling in and out of Nepal for some time.

The Bihar police was roped in only last night as IB officers homed in on Bhatkal in a top secret operation.  On being caught in north Bihar near the border, the 30-year-old terror mastermind and quick escape artist first claimed he was an engineer working on a project in Nepal.

Then he insisted he was a yunani doctor – a doctor who specialises in Islamic traditional remedies – the same cover he had allegedly used while setting up a terror module in Dharbhanga in Bihar, said sources.

But sources said his pictures and other information on him were too specific for him to be anyone but the man behind terror strikes across the country and one of India’s 12 most wanted.

After relentless questioning, he finally gave in and admitted he was Yasin Bhatkal.