Delhi Police on Monday foiled a major terrorist plot to attack crowded markets in the capital during Diwali by arresting two suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants, hailing from Bangladesh, with 1.5 kg of plastic explosives.
Mohammad Alamgir Hussain alias Roni and Abdur Razzaq Jeewon were arrested from the Old Delhi Railway Station at around 5 am on their arrival from Jammu by Pooja Express.
They were carrying 15 sticks of plastic explosives. "The duo were here to hand over explosives to a Lashkar module in the capital which is tasked to carry out blasts in a market during Diwali," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told reporters in New Delhi.
During interrogation, they told police that their job was to deliver the explosives to the module and to ferry the members back to Bangladesh immediately after the blasts, but were unaware of the exact plot.
"This consignment was certainly for Diwali. The module was to carry out the blasts and we are working to crack it," Singh said.
They were arrested on the basis of "specific information" about their movement.
"We have been receiving intelligence inputs since September that Bangladeshi activities in the capital is on the rise," he said.
The LeT denied that the arrested persons had any links with the outfit. A person identifying himself as Abdullah Gaznavi and claiming to be the spokesman of the outfit told PTI on phone in Srinagar, "LeT has no links with the arrested persons".
The arrest comes at a time when security in the capital is on an all-time high in view of the festive season as security agencies are working overtime to avert the repeat of 2005 blasts.