New Delhi, Feb 14 (Deccan Chronicle): Wanted Indian Mujahideen terrorist Ariz Khan was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on Wednesday.
Engineer-turned-terrorist 32 year-old Indian Mujahideen suspect, Ariz Khan alias Junaid, has been on the run since the September 2008 Batla House encounter, where two IM suspects were gunned down while two others were nabbed by the police.
He had managed to escape. Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma was also killed during the exchange of fire. Juniad was nabbed from the Indo-Nepal border.
Confirming the arrest, DCP (Special Cell) PS Kushwaha said that the arrest of Ariz was a big catch as he was absconding since 2008.
Junaid, a native of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh and an engineer by profession was allegedly hiding in house number L-18 in Batla House, Jamia Nagar, during the encounter operation by the Special Cell, said police.
The encounter took place six days after the serial blasts in Delhi’s Pahargang, Barakhamaba Road, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and Govind Puri.
"Delhi Police Special Team arrested Ariz Khan alias Junaid, he was involved in many bombing incidents including 2008 Delhi serial blasts, 165 people died in incidents he was involved in," said DCP, Special Cell Delhi Police, Pramod Singh Kushwaha.
Delhi Police said, Ariz Khan is an expert bomb maker, conspirator and executioner. He was associated with Atif Amin who was killed in Batala House encounter. He was also wanted in 2007 Uttar Pradesh blasts, 2008 Jaipur serial blasts, 2008 Ahmedabad blasts and had escaped from Batala House encounter.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) had declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh while Delhi Police had declared Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
The arrest comes days after India’s most wanted terrorist, Abdul Subhan Qureshi who was accused in the serial blasts in Gujarat in 2008, in which 56 people were killed, was arrested by the Special Cell.
Also Read: 'India's Bin Laden', 2008 Gujarat serial blasts mastermind arrested from Delhi
A software engineer-turned-bomb-maker often referred to as “India’s Bin Laden”, Qureshi was arrested after a brief exchange of fire from Ghazipur in Delhi on January 22, just ahead of Republic Day.