‘Tussle between Mumbai ATS and Delhi police allowed Waqas to escape’

If tussles between the Delhi police and Mumbai Anti Terror Squad (ATS) were resolved earlier, terror strikes, post Mumbai serial blasts, could have been averted.

Zia Ur Rehman, alias Waqas, a Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist could have been arrested in 2011, when a Delhi police special cell team were ready to conduct raids in Mumbai.

According to sources, after 13/7 serial blasts in Mumbai in 2011, that was planted by Waqas and his associate, they went into hiding in Mumbai itself. Yasin Bhatkal, co-founder of IM was also residing with him in a rented accommodation in the Bhaykhala East area.

Waqas, Bhatkal and other IM operatives, who were wanted for the Mumbai serial blasts, had the Mumbai ATS on the hunt. Surprisingly, the duo took a flat on rent near Mumbai ATS headquarters to avoid raids conducted by the investigative agency.

Delhi police special cell team had Waqas’s phone on surveillance. He was wanted by them for his role in the Jama Masjid shootout case. With the aid of tracking software, Waqas’s location was learnt by the special cell. On 31 December 2011, a team from the special cell planned a raid at their rented accommodation.

If sources are to be believed, Mumbai ATS got to know about Delhi police’s plan and  officials from the Mumbai ATS intervened. The terror duo smelt a rat and managed to escape before their arrival. Since then he had remained absconding and was involved in several terror strikes in India. On Saturday morning, he was arrested from Rajasthan.

In 2010, Waqas who was hiding in Sara Mohanpur in Darbhanga district, Bihar, had provided training to other operatives.

‘He along with Asadullah Akhtar (arrested) stayed there for three months and carried out weapons, explosives and physical training. Practical training of handling of explosives was also carried out. At this time, Waqas demonstrated new type of explosive devices, using Hydrogen Peroxide for preparation,’ the source said.