Explosives Expert Arrested in Andhra Pradesh, Says TN DGP Shankar Jiwal

Fast Summary:

• Abubacker Siddique, a terror suspect skilled in making Improvised Explosive devices (IEDs), was apprehended by Tamil Nadu Police’s Anti-Terrorism squad (ATS) in Andhra Pradesh.
• Explosives and incriminating materials were seized during a search at Siddique’s hideout in Rayachoti near Kadapa.
• Operations titled Operation Aram and Operation Agazhi led too the arrests of Siddique, Mohammed Ali, and ‘Tailor’ Raja.
• Siddique had been evading authorities for nearly 30 years while engaging in criminal activities across southern India using pseudonyms and frequently changing locations.
• ‘tailor’ raja, wanted in cases including the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts, was arrested after years on the run since 1996. He avoided contact with family or friends throughout this period.
• Director-General of Police Shankar Jiwal noted that human and technical intelligence played crucial roles in tracking these suspects over months of investigation.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The prosperous capture of terror suspects like Abubacker Siddique showcases Tamil Nadu’s ATS capabilities to address longstanding security challenges through persistent effort and intelligence operations.The recovery of explosives underscores both the risks posed by such individuals and their organizational resilience despite decades-long searches.

While this operation marks a important achievement for Indian law enforcement agencies, it also highlights vulnerabilities related to detecting individuals who operate under assumed identities for extended periods. This growth reaffirms India’s need for coordinated regional counter-terrorism initiatives alongside robust technological surveillance frameworks to address evolving threats systematically.Read more: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/terror-suspect-held-in-andhra-pradesh-an-expert-at-making-explosives-says-tn-dgp-shankar-jiwal/article69801239.ece