Did the SIMI activists, who were killed in an alleged encounter with the police in Janakipuram of Nalgonda district on April 3, planned to target Guntur, Vijaywada and Nalgonda for unleashing violent terrorist acts?
Suspicion to this effect gained ground following emergence of more details about the activities of the two slain SIMI activists – Aslam Ayub and Ejazuddin – prior to their death in the encounter.
It may be mentioned here that the two SIMI activists, who were among the five under-trials escaped from Tantya Bheel prison of Khandwa in Madya Pradesh in October 2013, had first killed a police constable and a home guard during frisking operations at Suryapet Bus Station and escaped.
The two runaway terrorists were spotted by a police party combing the area on April 3. In a fierce shoot-out between the fleeing militants and the police in Janakipuram, the two ulras were killed. A police constable Nagaraju was also killed in the incident while Circle Inspector Balagangi Reddy and Sub-Inspector Siddaiah were seriously injured. Later, the Sub-Inspector succumbed to the bullet injuries.
The police, who have stepped up their investigation besides continuing combing operations in Nalgonda district and surrounding areas, stumbled upon more details about the activities of the two SIMI activists before their encounter death. The duo was learnt to have made an extensive survey of Guntur and Vijayawada from March 28 to 30 and then moved to Sangareddy where they had taken on rent a house claiming to be workers in a nearby industrial unit. They were learnt to have made it known in the area that two of their colleagues would join them shortly.
Piecing together various information gathered, the investigating officers seem to have concluded that the SIMI activists might have planned to target Guntur, Vijayawada and Nalgonda for their terrorist activities. The police are now probing to find out any sleeper cells of these terrorist outfits holed up in these three districts. (NSS)