Ex-Al Umma man was also an expert in gelatin sticks

Imam Ali, 32, one of the most wanted fugitives of Tamil Nadu had been on the run for almost 200 days after his escape from police custody on...

Imam Ali, 32, one of the most wanted fugitives of Tamil Nadu had been on the run for almost 200 days after his escape from police custody on March 7, 2002. The law finally caught up with him at Bangalore on Sunday.

Imam first hit the headlines in 1992 when he tested an explosive device at Thiruvathavur near Madurai. His schoolmate Soundararajan, who later embraced Islam and rechristened himself as Hyder Ali, helped him. Both were arrested soon afterwards, but later escaped from custody. The same year stole a car from Kovilpatti and later joined Palani Baba’s Jihad Committee.

A year later, they masterminded the blast at the RSS office in Chennai. While Imam planted the bomb, Hyder waited outside. Both escaped before it went off.

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However, a third accomplice died along with 10 RSS workers. Soon after, Imam went to Bangladesh and underwent training under the ISI to make bombs.

Quite popular among Muslim youth of Melur in Madurai district, he was detained in 1995 under the NSA in connection with this case. However, they escaped once again.

However, the escape that caught media attention was on March 7, 2002. Imam and Hyder were being taken to Palayamkottai Prison from Chennai, when the duo gave the slip to the cops at Tirumangalam in Madurai district.

A gang which came in a car fired at the police party using country-made guns to facilitate the escape of the two desperadoes. Imam also to snatch a loaded AK 47 from a cop.

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About 48 hours after their escape, a team headed by the then IGP (South Zone) S.K. Dogra caught Hyder in Sivagangai district. He is now in the Chennai Central Prison.

In what can be termed as a fall-out of the escape, Dogra and Commissioner of Police Lallawmsanga were shifted and 13 policemen, who escorted the extremists, were suspended. A Special Team headed by IGP Thangaraj was entrusted the task of nabbing Imam.

On March 11, Madurai district police made a major breakthrough by arresting key accused, ITI student Jabbar Sadiq Ali. Six persons, who allegedly helped the two extremists, were arrested near Vikramasingapuram on March 20. Two days later, police arrested two more men from Anupanadi area. On April 11, the special team nabbed one more accused from Tiruchi bus stand.

Two other accomplices shot dead along with Imam Ali on Sunday are Seeniappa alias Saifulla and Mohammed Ibrahim, both from Madurai.