To probe links between local residents and Riyazuddin Nasir, who was arrested in Hubli recently, the Andhra Pradesh Police on Wednesday evening arrested a Saidabad-based youth Mohtasin Billa, son of Maulana Abdul Aleem Islahi, an alleged SIMI activist who runs a madrasa for women. Nasir, who was brought here by Hyderabad police on transfer warrant from Karnataka on Wednesday, apparently told investigators that Billa was his close friend and he was in touch with him regularly, prior to his arrest by the Karnataka Police.The police are investigating whether Billa and other local youths provided support to Nasir and three others who were detained by the Karnataka Police. The three arrested men had admitted that they were planning to attack the Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police ’s office and bomb Goa beaches. Saidabad police station, where Billa was taken after his arrest, faced a tough time as more than 50 burqa-clad women, including his sister and mother, stormed past the police guard and ransacked the police station. Many of the women were from the nearby madrasa, run by Billa’s father.Though the police claimed that Billa was arrested in connection with two rioting cases registered against him in 2004 and a sedition case in 2007 when jehadi literature and CDs were found from his possession, the timing of his arrest to coincide with Nasir being brought here indicates that the police suspect a possible terror link between the two.Hyderabad Police Commissioner (CP) B Prasad Rao said, “Billa was picked up last night to investigate his links with Nasir. We will probe his involvement with SIMI and terror related activities.” Rao added that the duo have known each other for four years. “Nasir is the son of Maulana Nasir, who was arrested by Gujarat police on October 31, 2004 from Hyderabad for his involvement in the Haren Pandya murder case,” he added.According to police records, Billa was involved in rioting outside the office of the DGP when a mob tried to free Maulana Nasir from the custody of Gujarat Police. Billa’s friend, Mujahid, died when the police opened fire to prevent the mob from freeing Maulana Nasir. The next day, during the funeral procession of Mujahid, police came under heavy stone-pelting and the official vehicle of DGP (East) was damaged. Billa was arrested and later released. “In 2007, the Gopalpuram police picked him up on charges of sedition, after finding jehadi literature and CDs from his possession,” Rao said.
