NIA announces Rs 10 lakh reward for info on accused

Six people died in blasts during a rally addressed by Narendra Modi in Patna.

Struggling to nab Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives allegedly involved in the Bodh Gaya and Patna serial blasts,the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of five absconding members of the terror group,including Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu of Bihar.

The others the NIA is looking for are Haider Ali alias Abdullah,Numan Ansari,Taufeeq Ansari and Mojibullah,all residents of Jharkhand.

The NIA announcement said the agency solicits the cooperation and assistance of the general public and requests it to provide information leading to the arrest of the five IM operatives allegedly involved in the planning and commission of terrorist acts,including the July 7 Bodh Gaya blasts and the October 27 Patna blasts.

Anyone providing information leading to arrest of Akhtar and Ali would be paid a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh. For information on the others,the reward is Rs 5 lakh.

While Akhtar,who has virtually taken over the India operations of IM after the arrest of Yaseen Bhatkal,is wanted for his alleged role in the Hyderabad blasts as well,Ali is also being sought in connection with the finances of the outfit.

While five monks were injured in the Bodh Gaya blasts,six people died in blasts during a rally addressed by BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Patna.

The NIA has arrested four people,including Mohammed Imtiyaz Ansari,for the Patna blasts. Ansari was nabbed by the public when he was assembling bombs with another IM member inside a toilet at a makeshift railway station.