KADAPA: In a major breakthrough against terror activities, police in Annamayya district conducted raids on the homes of two terror suspects arrested in Rayachoti town for their links with the banned terror outfit Al-Ummah, and seized a large cache of explosives and materials used for making IEDs.
During the searches, the suspects’ wives-Saira Banu (wife of Abu Bakr) and Shaikh Shameem (wife of Mohammad Ali)-allegedly tried to obstruct the raids and even attacked the women police personnel.
Accused married local women, living with fake names for over 2 decades
Both were arrested and remanded to Kadapa Central Jail. Their possible involvement in the terror plot is currently under investigation.
Kurnool Range DIG Dr Koya Praveen, addressing a press conference alongside Annamayya District SP V Vidya Sagar Naidu at the district police headquarters on Thursday, informed that the two men - Abu Bakr Siddiq alias Amanullah and Mohammad Ali alias Mansoor - had been living in Rayachoti with fake identities for the past 20 years.
The accused had married local women and ran small businesses while living under false names in Rayachoti for over two decades, the police officials added.
Two cases have been registered at Rayachoti Urban PS under BNS Sec.132, Explosives Act (1908 & 1884), UAPA Act (Sec. 13,15,18), Arms Actand also for additional charges under UAPA and Explosives Acts. Police seized highly dangerous materials capable of causing large-scale destruction, including ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil (for use in IEDs), slurry explosives (suspected to contain nitroglycerin or TNT), a 20-kg suitcase bomb packed with PETN, another suitcase and a box suspected to be IEDs, potassium nitrate, chlorate, permanganate, gunpowder, daggers, cleavers, and other sharp weapons.
Additional items recovered include timers, pull switches, pressure switches, speed controllers, gas tube arresters, ball bearings, nuts and bolts (for causing blast injuries), binoculars, walkie-talkies, radio equipment, multiple mobile phones and chequebooks, digital storage devices, maps of Indian cities, timing circuit manuals, coding books, hacking software, property and travel documents, and religious literature suspected to contain radical content. The accused are having previous criminal background, Abu Bakr Siddiq (A-18) has multiple terror-related cases including in Nagore PS (1995) - IPC 302, 120(B), Explosives Act, Chennai Chintadripet PS - conspiracy, murder, and Explosives Act charges, Madurai and Vellore - various cases under anti-terror laws.
Mohammad Ali alias Mansoor (A-19) is also accused in Egmore PS (1999) - planting a bomb with pamphlets near the CP’s office. He was allegedly involved in a broader series of bomb blasts across Chennai, Trichy, and Coimbatore the same day. Both suspects were also linked to a 1999 attempt to smuggle explosives via the Kochi-Kurla Express, which caught fire near Kasaragod.
Police have been working to identify additional associates and leads.