Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 6, 2013
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jihadis-wanted-for-2011-bid-on-Advanis-life-held-after-10-hour-operation/articleshow/23599102.cms

After a 10-hour standoff punctuated by exchange of gunfire and negotiations, a joint team of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh police nabbed two Al Umma members wanted for the murders of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders near the interstate border on Saturday. The two, along with "Police" Fakrudeen, who was picked up from Chennai on Friday, were wanted for the murder of a BJP leader and a Hindu Munnani leader in Tamil Nadu earlier this year and an attempt on BJP leader LK Advani's life near Madurai in October 2011.

 Senior officers confirmed Al Umma members Bilal Malik, 25, Panna Ismail, 38, and Fakrudeen, 38, were arrested from Puttur town. Ismail, who was hit by a bullet in the abdomen, is being treated at the government general hospital in Chennai. Malik's wife Shahida Banu and three children were also rescued from the house in which the terrorists were holed up, using them as shields. They were finally smoked out by tear gas. Police found a pistol, two bombs and 500 gelatin sticks in the house.

 Police teams began Operation Puttur in early Saturday after questioning Fakrudeen, who was the key member of the Al Umma cell. Earlier, rumours about a possible encounter late Friday led to a habeas corpus petition being filed in the Madras high court, to which the government reacted by confirming that Fakrudeen was in custody. Police said the men were also involved in the April 17 attack on the BJP headquarters in Bangalore, and were plotting another terror attack.

 Fakruddin was said to be mentored by Al Umma commander Imam Ali, who was suspected to have links with Pakistan's ISI. Ali was gunned down along with three associates in September 2002.

Based on information from Fakrudeen, the police team surrounded the single-storey house in a crowded area near Puttur railway station at 3.50am. Two policemen in plainclothes, posing as milk vendors, knocked at the door. A woman opened the door and tried to turn them away. Soon, a man came out, who one of the policemen recognized as Malik. Turning suspicious, Malik pulled the woman in and locked the door.

Cops fire cautiously

 Soon after, the police broke a grill at the entrance and was trying to break down the door when someone within attacked inspector Lakshmanan with a sharp object. T Senthil Kumar, additional superintendent of police, was also injured when attacked with a tube light. The police team then opened fire, injuring Ismail in the stomach.

 "When Lakshmanan was attacked, one of the team members opened fire, injuring Ismail. Then a team led by Chittoor SP Kanti Rana Tata and Octopus personnel drilled two holes and fired tear gas shells," said Andhra Pradesh DGP B Prasada Rao. Police sought to keep firing down to a minimum because they suspected there were explosives in the house and a woman and three children were inside. But the standoff continued as the two men threatened to detonate a bomb and used Malik's wife and three children as shields till 2pm in the afternoon when they finally surrendered.

 Earlier, when there seemed to be no way to make a breakthrough, the team asked for reinforcements from a quick reaction team of the TN police and the Octopus special forces of Andhra Pradesh. Then followed repeated attempts to break in, interspersed with negotiations and threats. Finally, after the police lobbed teargas shells into the house, the woman and children were sent out around noon. Malik and Ismail surrendered after a couple of hours.

 The police had a tough time controlling surging crowds amidst the operation. Hundreds had gathered in the area. But the street where the building is located was cordoned off. According to police, the suspects, two of them hailing from Nelpettai in Madurai and one from Tirunelveli, were involved in about 10 cases in Tamil Nadu, including the murder of Hindu Munnani leader S Vellaiyappan on July 1 and BJP functionary S Ramesh on July 18. The same group had planted pipe bombs under a culvert near Madurai on the route to be taken by BJP leader LK Advani in October 2011.