Karnataka church blasts: suspect arrested after 16 years

Between June and July 2000, three blasts at churches took place at Bengaluru, Hubbali and Kalaburgi in Karnataka.

Bengaluru:  Karnataka police yesterday said they have arretsed a key accused in the 2000 Karnataka serial Church blasts case.

The accused, Sheikh Amir alias Amir Ali (36), was arrested from Nalgonda in Andhra Pradesh by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Ali, an alleged member of the terror outfit Deendar Anjuman, has been on the run for the past 16 years.

Between June and July 2000, three blasts at Churches took place at Bengaluru, Hubbali and Kalaburgi in Karnataka. On June 8 2000, two bombs exploded at the St Annes Church, Wadi in Kalaburgi. On July 8 2000, a blast took place at the St John’s Lutheran Church in Hubbali. On July 9 2000, an explosion took place at the St Peter Paul Church, J J Nagar Bengaluru.

The probe was handed over to the CID. During the probe, evidence suggested that the members of the Deendar Anjuman wanted to create a rift between the Christians and Hindus in the state.

In the aftermath of the blasts, the outfit had printed pamphlets blaming the Hindus for the blast.

It was also found that the same outfit had carried out blasts in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra as well.

So far, the CID officials have named and charge-sheeted 29 accused, of which 11 have been granted death penalty.

The police tracked down Sheikh on the basis of leads provided by the Telangana police. A resident of Bengaluru, Sheikh went absconding after other activists of the outfit came under the police's radar.

The police are interrogating Sheikh to ascertain the whereabouts of others involved in the serial blasts. Five of the accused are said to be in Pakistan.

Source: One India News, India Today