by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Mysore, July 24:  All eyes of intelligence machinery are now on the heritage city of Mysore after a person, suspected to be behind the Mumbai serial bomb blasts and arrested by the Police in Gaya, Bihar about three days ago, stated that he opened a Madarasa in the city here and was also running a textile showroom.

Bihar Police stumbled on Akram, son of Gulam Mohammed of Bihar in Dengra village of Gaya district, while searching for suspected terrorists with the aid of sketches. They took Akram into their custody and his statements have now brought Mysore on the net of intelligence wings.

In Shantinagar

During interrogation, Akram told the Police that he was working in a Bangalore Madarasa and later shifted to Mysore and opened a Madarasa himself in Shantinagar here. He also said that he opened a textile shop for additional income.

Bihar Police have all the reasons to believe that Akram could very well be one of the men behind Mumbai blasts, as he strongly resembles the sketch of the suspected terrorists.

However, his statements were dismissed by the Mysore Police, leading to more confusion over Akram's statements. Akram reportedly told the Police that he has got nothing to do with the Mumbai blasts. He said he last visited Mumbai about two years ago.

Whatever his statements, the Police strongly suspect him to be the man behind the blasts as many facts lead them to suspect that Akram has links to terrorist outfits.

Though he says he is a poor man, he carries two mobile phones and another suspicion that faces him is the statement of the people of his own village, that he lives in Mumbai.

He also had links with the leading activist of Students Islamic Movement in India (SIMI) Fayaz, while staying in Lucknow for seven years.

Another fact was that, Akram's sister was married to a person of a village near Jharkhand, where three terrorists were shot dead in connection with the bombing in front of American Embassy in 2002.

A matriculate

Akram, now lodged in Ramapura Police Station lock up, passed his matriculation from a school in Barachetti near Gaya in 1991 and passed Moulvi course the following year. He worked for some time in Bilal Madarasa in Bangalore before moving to Mysore, according to Gaya Superintendent of Police Amit Jain.

Akram argues that he is innocent and he looks unperturbed. "I sport beard. Police might have taken me into custody as I resemble a suspected terrorist. I am ready to face any kind of investigation to prove my innocence," he adds.