AP

New Delhi, Jul 21: The Anti Terrorist Squad has arrested three men in connection with the 7/11 blasts.

The police claim this could be a major break-through in solving the case. The ATS and the Intelligence Bureau had arrested the men in a joint operation.

The ATS had recently sent two teams - comprising 28 officers - to search for suspects.

One had fanned out in Maharashtra and the other went to Bihar and other places.

They are now trying to find out whether the suspects are linked to SIMI.

Two were arrested from Madhubani in Bihar on Thursday evening and one was arrested from Navi Mumbai on Friday morning.

Names of three arrested are Mumtaz from Navi Mumbai, Khaleel Aziz and Kamal from Bihar.

They were said to have made calls to Gaya from Mumbai on 7/11 evening.

Police have interrogated the men in the Patna Police headquarters over their role in the July 11 blasts in Mumbai that killed 207 people and wounded more than 800.

Investigators had detained hundreds of people across the country for questioning since the bombings, but the three men were the first to be formally arrested.

The three arrested are to be produced in Mazgaon court in Mumbai on Friday.