KARACHI, Sept 30: Police arrested here on Sunday an agent of the Indian intelligence agency RAW, who would be handed over to the army authorities for further investigations as he was collecting sensitive information on Pakistan’s defence establishments and capabilities.

The man, who gave his name as Bajal Ramji, was presented before newsmen here on Monday. He is a Pakistani national, resident of Rahimyar Khan district. He spoke before the press in Urdu.

The RAW agent confessed to carrying out an explosion at Lahore railway station in November 1999 and planting a bomb at a market in Peshawar in 2000, which did not explode.

At a news conference here on Monday, the Inspector-General of the Sindh Police, Syed Kamal Shah, announced the arrest of a Pakistani national, 29-year- old bearded man Bajal Ramji, who was arrested while taking photographs of the Expo Centre on Sunday, Sept 29, on a police spy information. A still camera was recovered from him. The photographs were developed, which exposed exit, entry and other areas of the Expo Centre where an exhibition of military equipment was held recently.

Bajal confessed before newsmen that he worked for RAW, as his family had been made hostage in India, and he was forced to work for the Indian intelligence agency.

The IG said: “Bajal Ramji told us that he was issued instructions to take photographs of defence sensitivities. We have informed the army authorities of it, who will further interrogate him. If it is established that he was working to get sensitive information on Pakistan’s defence for RAW, he will be tried in a military court.”

He said Bajal confessed to have carried out an explosion at Lahore railway station on November 20, 1999 in which seven people were killed. He also planted a bomb at a market in Peshawar, but it did not explode.

He said: “We have interrogated Bajal. He has not been found involved in Christians’ killing, so far.” However, more disclosures were expected during further investigations.

The IG said Bajal told police he was in contact with Hoto Mal, another RAW agent in Umerkot. Police had arrested Hoto Mal and had included him in the investigations. He was being grilled.

Mr Shah said Bajal was born in 1973 in Chak 59/P, tehsil Sadiqabad, district Rahimyar Khan. He was illiterate. He moved to Chak-9 in the same district with his parents and married a Hindu girl, Chammi, in 1996. Bajal had two brothers, Sarwan Ram and Krishen Ram, who went over to India in 1996-97 to look after the land of their grandfather. A year later, Bajal also moved over to India where he joined his brothers. His parents also shifted to India in 1999. All of them were living there illegally.

Due to their illegal stay, police and RAW harassed them. Bajal asked for help from one of his relations, Hari Lal, who had been in India since 1995. But after this the family’s harassment increased. After some time, Hari Lal assured the family to help them stay in India provided he (Bajal) and his brothers worked for RAW, the IG said.

In October 1999, the IG said, Hari Lal, who also worked for RAW, took Bajal to the office of RAW in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, where he met Roop Singh, an officer of RAW. The IG was of the opinion that RAW officer Roop Singh most probably concealed his real name from Bajal.

He said the RAW officer coerced Bajal into working for RAW. The RAW officer assured Bajal of providing complete protection. Bajal was imparted 15 days’ training in Jodhpur in handling explosives. Roop Singh introduced Bajal to Karim, a Muslim. Bajal crossed the international border in Chotan area and entered Pakistan’s territory in Rahimyar Khan. He was kept at an unknown place for two days. Thereafter Karim took him to Umerkot town in a white jeep. Bajal was instructed to meet Hoto Mal, son of Girdhari, in tehsil Jalarani Nujoro, district Sanghar, where he would be provided with explosives. He was given Rs5,000, a bomb and battery with instructions to plant it at Lahore railway station. He went to Lahore from Nawabshah on Awami Express and planted the bomb at Lahore railway station. In that explosion, seven people were killed and 14 others injured.

Mr Shah said Karim again met Bajal at Hoto Mal’s house in Sanghar, and then another task was given to him. He went to Peshawar by train and planted a bomb there at a market, but it did not explode. Bajal was given another task to get photographs of the Expo Centre when the defence exhibition IDEAS 2002 was in progress. These photographs were be sent to RAW in India. Bajal was told that photographs of the surrounding buildings, roads and of the Expo Centre were needed. He was taking photographs at the Expo Centre when he was arrested.

About Christians’ killing, the IG said: “We are not satisfied with the statement of Robin Piran Ditta. He was put on a lie detector and an expert, Aftab, who came from Sihala, declared him (Robin) guilty as he was hiding some information. We are waiting for his recovery from the shock. We had him examined by a psychiatrist. He is normal.”