Bangladeshi terror suspect arrested in Thane

Thane: A Bangladeshi national, who was allegedly involved in terror activities, including bomb blasts, in his home country, was arrested from Thane on Friday, police said.

Bashirmulla Sukurmulla Shaikh, who was illegally staying in India, was nabbed by Crime Branch officials from Kalwa in connection with an offence registered in the city under IPC Sections related to theft and house trespass, the police said in a release on Friday.

The 40-year-old was produced before a court which remanded him in police custody till November 7, it said.

He had been arrested by Special Branch of Mumbai Police in March 2016 for staying in India without valid documents, including passport. Shaikh was booked under Indian Passport Act and Foreigners Act and was currently out on bail.

Further interrogation of Shaikh revealed that while in Bangladesh, he had taken training in bomb-making from terror outfits. Shaikh assembled bombs at his residence in Narail district, south-western Bangladesh, and also carried out a few explosions in which people were killed, the release said.

Offences were lodged against him and his associates in 2014 at Kalia Police Station in Narail district in connection with these blasts, the police said.

During the interrogation, the Bangladeshi national disclosed he had killed his wife Sultana in one such explosion, they said.

All information provided by Shaikh was confirmed by Bangladesh Police, the release said, adding police were trying to find out which militant outfit he was associated with.

Crime Branch, which is interrogating Shaikh, is ascertaining if the foreign national had any intention to carry out subversive activities in India, police added.