Hyderabad, April 29: Intelligence that a group of 25 terrorists has fanned out across Hyderabad to launch a major terror attack has spurred the police top brass to order massive searches at all public places and frisking of persons round-the-clock.
Reports that a most wanted terrorist Syed Viqaruddin was back in the city to execute a terror spectacular have sent shrill alarm bells ringing in the entire police force. The alert came from the Intelligence Bureau. Policemen in every beat have been told not to leave anything to chance.
However, police commissioner A K Khan tried to calm the nerves.
‘‘In view of the recent bomb blasts in Bangalore and Pune, we are taking certain measures. There is no specific threat to Hyderabad.’’ But the fact that police inspectors were suddenly asked to rush to their respective stations and take up the searches late last night indicated that the input was quite serious.
Viqaruddin, who opened fire at a police party injuring one policeman and vanished from Santoshnagar in Deccember 2008, is back in focus.
Though sources said he may have fled to Bangladesh, the fact that he is a master at changing his appearance is what is worrying the police. ‘‘After he fled in December, he visited Hyderabad once.
Some persons were negotiating with the police on his behalf for his surrender. But something went wrong at the last moment and Viqar escaped once again,’’ sources said.
Viqar’s role is suspected in the shootout at Falaknuma on May 18 last year — on the second anniversay o f t h e Mecca Masjid blast — in which two motorcycle- borne youths opened fire at two policemen and k i l l e d o n e o f them. After he fled Hyderabad, Viqar’s movements were tracked to a village in Karnataka but before the police could arrive there, Viqar made good his escape. His whereabouts were not known since. Viqar, once an active member of the Saidabad-based fundamentalist outfit Darsgah-Jihad-OShahadat (DJS), allegedly has links with terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul- Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI).
‘‘After the recent communal incidents in old city, there is a sense of unease among the people.
Terror groups may take advantage of the situation. We have heightened our vigil and will continue it for the Bonalu and Vinayak Chaturthi festivals,’’ Khan told Express.
Police searched vehicles and frisked people across the city including railway stations, bus stands and shopping malls. Asked whether Hyderabad is becoming a hub for terror activities, Khan said, ‘‘to single out Hyderabad is wrong.’’
–Agencies