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Today's Paper | May 04, 2024

Published 02 Mar, 2018 08:08pm

'India-backed' terrorist group busted in Hyderabad, police claim

Hyderabad police on Friday claimed to have busted a gang which was reportedly getting funding from India to sabotage China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and target security personnel in Sindh.

Hyderabad DIG Javed Alam Odho and SSP Pir Mohammad Shah held a joint press conference to share the details of the suspected terrorist group with the media.

The official said that the five-member group was led by the self-proclaimed chief of Sindhudesh Revolution Army (SRA), and it was targeting security personnel and Chinese nationals.

“The suspects were running a sub-nationalist group to launch a separatist movement in the province and, according to their own confession, they were trained and sponsored by India," DIG Javed Odho said, adding that the "suspects used to frequently visit India by crossing the border near Badin district".

SSP Shah said the suspects identified as Muzaffar Hussain Nanjgraj, Murtaza Abro, Shakeel Ghangro, Rafaqat Jarwar and Arbab Soomro, were arrested after an encounter in Aliabad area of the city in the wee hours of Friday.

Police also claimed to have recovered arms and explosives from their possession. “Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), explosive material weighing 12kg and weapons were recovered from their possession after last night’s encounter,” Odho said.

He further said that Sindh Inspector General of Police A.D. Khowaja has announced Rs0.5 million reward for entire police team of SSP Hyderabad, CIA in-charge Aslam Langah, and others for busting the gang.

Odho mentioned that suspect Muzaffar Hussain Nanjrajt, who travelled to India under codename Pankhaj, had confessed to his involvement in Rohri bypass explosion on Dec 2016, Mehrabpur explosion in March 2017, January 2018 blast in Qasimabad in which one ragpicker had died, as well as planting of a bomb outside Mehran University in Jamshoro in November 2017.

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