Telangana encounter: 2 Simi killed were the most ferocious

Hyderabad: Mohammed Aijajuddeen and Mohammed Aslam alias Bilal, of Madhya Pradesh, who were killed in the Nalgonda encounter were the most “ferocious and fearsome” among the five known terror suspects of Simi’s “terror funding through robbery module”, said sources.

Aijajudden had been elected “amir” of the module after the arrest of Abu Faisal Khan in December 2013. Under him, the module had pulled off many robberies and murders in several states.

“The duo topped the list of the country’s most wanted homegrown terrorists. The module had looted at least Rs 4.5 crore in gold and cash. They had even attacked a judge in MP after their module members were convicted. Though three more suspects and local module members are still absconding, it is a relief that the chief of the module is dead,” said a top official of TS police department.

While confirming that the duo in the Janakipuram encounter were Simi activists, Telangana state DGP Anurag Sharma said that their role had been confirmed in the Karimnagar Choppadandi Rs 46 lakh-SBI robbery case and their involvement was also suspected in the dacoity at Muthoot Finance in Ramachandrapuram of Medak earlier in February in which 3.3 kg gold was looted by five armed men.

A top official of the Medak police said, “There are several similarities between the Choppa-dandi SBI and Muthoot Finance heists. In both cases they took away the CCTV footage storing devices However, in the Muthoot case, they had knives, no firearms. Also, the fingerprints did not match with that of the dead suspects.” Police say that the module also has links with the Indian Mujahideen.