QUETTA, Sept 24: A 12-year-old Afghan boy was caught red-handed while planting a bomb inside an Imambargah by people in the Alamdar Road area here on Friday night.

He was later handed over to police.

Sources said the area people caught the boy whilee he was placing the bomb packed in a plastic bag inside the Imambargah Nichari on the night between Friday and Saturday.

The boy, who was identified as Abdul Khaliq, told police during initial interrogation that Aslam, alias Zubir, had handed over the bomb to him for planting it inside the Imambargah.

Police arrested Aslam from the Hazar-Gangi area along with 19 other suspects.

“We have arrested the suspected mastermind who was planning to carry out bomb blasts at different places,” a senior police officer said.

A huge quantity of explosives, weapons of different calibres and grenades were recovered from the possession of suspects.

Police took all the arrested people to an unknown place for further interrogation.