One more SIMI activist arrested in Madhya Pradesh

Stepping up its campaign against the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India, Madhya Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested one more activist allegedly involved in raising funds for the organisation.

The activist has been identified as Rafiq Mohammad, a resdient of Garib Nawaz Colony of Indore, Superitendent of Police Anshuman Singh told PTI.

The police have registered a case against Mohammad for his alleged involvement in illegal activities and helping anti-national elements, Yadav said, adding that he was being interrogated to further expose SIMI's plans.

On March 27, the police had arrested 13 top SIMI activists, including its Madhya Pradesh chief Safdar Nagori, who were later remanded to police custody till April 11. Seven more SIMI activists were arrested on Monday.

According to police sources, the 13 arrested SIMI activists from Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra had assembled in Indore for their annual meeting, which began on March 27, but were arrested on the same day.

The police is of the view that the meeting discussed making SIMI a militant organisation and other strategies including training in this regard. Printed matter recovered from those arrested revealed the kind of tough training SIMI activists have to go through, sources said.

The literature available following the arrests revealed that SIMI activists have to run five kilometres, swim at least one kilometre and stay in deep water for 20 minutes during their training programme.

Beside swimming and running, sources said SIMI activists were also trained to operate weapons. During the training programmes, SIMI activists used surgical gloves to avoid their finger prints being identified.

Trainees were also trained to ride and repair motorcycles, sources said, adding that Nasir and Yahya, the two arrested SIMI activists from Karnataka have confirmed this in their statement.

However, intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain how many such training camps have been organised by the organisation.

During the interrogation, the duo revealed that SIMI had organised a training programme for its members in the hilly terrains of Madhya Pradesh, though the state police have not yet reached to any conclusion in this regard.