The arrest of Mohammed Sabauddin in connection with the recent blast at Central Recruitment Police Force camp at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh has shocked people of Mithila belt on the porous Indo-Nepal border where terrorist activity is unheard of.
Sabauddin's arrest, which also stunned his family members, and establishment of links of some other youths to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the Rampur blast and the Mumbai train blasts have also alerted the security set-up in the Mithila belt in Bihar.
Sabauddin, who was arrested from Lucknow a few days after the incident, is alleged to be a member of the dreaded terrorist outfit Laskar-e-Toiba, official reports said.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Mithilanchal range), Darbhanga, Vinay Kumar, however, said that the arrest of some youths could not be taken as a proof of the entire belt's slide to terrorism.
"In fact, our investigations suggest that there are some instances of a couple of youths, who ventured out of the area for livelihood or studies, were trapped and forced by terrorists to engage in unlawful activity and anti-national acts," he said.
Inquiry revealed that Sabauddin hailed from an ordinary family as his father Shabbid Ahmed, a resident of Sakri police station in Madhubani district, was a panchayat representative and all other family members were well educated, the DIG said.
"Investigations have revealed that Sabadduin is a respected family which has never been engaged in any social evil and we are surprised by his link with terrorist organisation," the DIG said.
Earlier, one Mohammed Kalam of Basopatti village in Madhubani district was arrested in connection with Mumbai train blasts case.
There was nothing found on records about Kalam's criminal antecedents in Bihar, official sources said.
Kalam left home searching for job outside the state, but he was lured by terrorists into doing unlawful acts, they said.
Alleged connections of Fazlur Rehman, who hails from village Baghauli under Jale police station in Darbhanga district, with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim has also brought disrepute to the Mithilanchal belt.
Rehman, who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, is now lodged in judicial custody in a jail at Darbhanga, the sources said.
Another youth from Darbhanga Jama Khan, who is believed to be closely associated with the Dawood Ibrahim gang, fell prey to internecine conflicts within the gang in Nepal a few months ago, the police revealed.
