Absconding accused in Ahmedabad blasts arrested

Danish Riyaz, an absconding accused of the Ahmedabad 2008 serial bomb blasts, was on Tuesday arrested from Vadodara railway station, city crime branch officials said.

"Danish, a member of the banned outfit Student Islamic Movement of India and Indian Mujahideen was arrested by crime branch officials from Vadodara railway station on Tuesday afternoon. He had arrived by the Rajkot-Secunderabad Express to meet someone in Vadodara," city Commissioner of Police, Sudhir Sinha, told reporters.

"Danish was involved in the conspiracy of the serial blast along with others like Bhatkal brothers (Abdus Subhan), Tauqueer. He was also present as a trainee at the terror training camp held by SIMI in Kerala," he said. Though he was not present in the city when the serial blasts took place on July 26, 2008, he was very active during the training camp, Sinha said.

"After the blasts, Danish used to provide shelter to some of the absconding accused like Bhatkal brothers and Tauqueer at his hometown in Ranchi," Sinha said, adding that Danish also figured on the most-wanted list of the Intelligence Bureau.

As many as 58 people were killed and over 200 injured in around 20 serial blasts that rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008. Till date 65 persons, allegedly members of IM and SIMI, have been arrested and are presently lodged in different jails across the country.