Hyderabad: Police in Hyderabad on Sunday arrested three persons on the charges of allegedly plotting terror attacks in the city and seized four hand grenades, net cash of Rs 5,41,800, five cell phones and a motorcycle from their possession. Let us have a look at similar cases wherein the police thwarted attempts to target Hyderabad city even as terrorists also had an upper hand at times causing police casualties at times.
In 2016, the police thwarted terror plans by the ISIS affiliate 'Ansar ul Tawheed See Bilad Al Hind' (A.U.T.). Security agencies foiled the plot to detonate powerful bombs in densely populated areas. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had in January 2016 arrested 14 people, including four ISIS sympathisers from the city, on charges of plotting blasts across the country.
The accused had allegedly planned to detonate 'Tyacetone Tri Peroxide' (TATP) bombs made of hydrogen peroxide, acetone, and urea. In 1992, Additional SP Krishnaprasad of the Intelligence Division was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists. The killing has caused a stir among the police ranks in the city. Since then such acts of violence have been coming to light.
Also read: Hyderabad: Police foil ISI plot to carry out terror attacks in city; 3 held with grenades, cash
While most of the attempts have been detected early by the police but sometimes the terrorists get the upper hand. Chief among them were the twin blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat on August 25, 2007. Scores of people died and many others were injured in the blasts. In October 2005, the bomb attack on the Task Force office in Begumpet created a commotion across the country.
The twin blasts in Dilsukhnagar in February 2013 created another sensation. Since then, the city has largely remained calm as the police foiled several conspiracies and plans of violence. On Sunday, police said they received specific inputs that one Abdul Zahed (39) of Malakpet here, who was involved in several terror-related cases in Hyderabad in the past, revived his contacts with his Pakistani ISI conduits again for plotting terror acts, including blasts, along with his associates.
He received a consignment of four hand grenades and was going to carry out terror attacks in Hyderabad, the official said. A police team acted swiftly and apprehended Abdul Zahed of Malakpet, Mohd Sameeruddin (39) of Akber Bagh, Saidabad and Maaz Hasan Farooq (29) of Humayun Nagar, Mehidipatnam, police said in an official release.
On preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Abdul Zahed was previously involved in terror-related cases in Hyderabad, including a suicide attack on the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner’s Task Force office in Begumpet in 2005. He was in regular touch with Pakistani ISI-LeT handlers.
