New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI): A suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist, an alleged aide of the outfit's elusive chief operative Yasin Bhatkal, was arrested from north-east Delhi with one kg explosives and a detonator, police said today.

Assadullah Rehman alias Dilkash (20) was apprehended from Chandu Nagar in Karawal Nagar locality yesterday on a tip off, a senior police official said.

Dilkash, who hails from Darbhanga in Bihar, had allegedly escaped in November last year from the arms factory run by Indian Mujahideen in west Delhi's Nangloi before the police crackdown during which a number of suspected terrorists were nabbed by police.

The official said Dilkash had told police that he had recently taken on rent a premises at Chandu Nagar from where investigators allegedly recovered one kg of explosive powder, a detonator, a timer and a mobile phone.

"He came in contact with Mohd Kafeel Ahmad, the motivator and ideologue of Indian Mujahideen, who was arrested earlier. He was motivated by Ahmad to join Indian Mujahideen. In February 2011, Ahmad introduced him to Bhatkal who further motivated him," the official said.

In April last year, the official said, on instructions from Bhatkal, he reached Delhi and was taken to the factory at Meer Vihar in Nangloi which was later busted by police.

There he learnt to work on the lathe machine and assisted Mohd Irshad and Bhatkal in allegedly manufacturing pistols and other arms and ammunition. "He became a trusted aide of Bhatkal," the official claimed.After the arrests of Indian Mujahideen operatives in November last, Bhatkal directed Dilkash to leave the factory premises along with whatever explosives and other material he could lay his hands on.

"Bhatkal further told him that he should leave Delhi immediately for a safer place and then later on he should come back to Delhi and arrange for a premises," the official said.
As instructed, the official said, Dilkash fled from the factory and took explosives and other material and hid it safely.

"He then went to Mumbai. He got a job in a construction site at Ambi Valley, near Khandala Ghat. He worked there as a supervisor for around two months. However, since Bhatkal had desired that he acquire expertise on lathe machine for manufacturing of arms and ammunition, he shifted to Kurla where he started working in a lathe factory.

"In mid February 2012, he left Mumbai and went to Nepal and then came to Delhi. Dilkash disclosed that he completed his schooling in 2010 from Darbhanga," the official said.