Bengaluru: Twelve years after the shocking 2013 bomb blast outside the BJP office in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, a key terror suspect, Abubakar Siddiqui, has been arrested by the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) from Rayachoti in Andhra Pradesh.
The blast, which occurred on April 17, 2013, left 18 people injured and sent shockwaves across the state. Siddiqui, allegedly linked to the AL-UMMA terror group, had been absconding ever since.
According to officials, Siddiqui was living in Rayachoti under an assumed identity, having married a local woman and running a small shop. His past includes involvement in major terror plots like the 1999 Coimbatore blasts, 2011 Madurai pipe bomb attack during LK Advani’s yatra, and the 1991 Chennai Hindu Munnani office attack.
Sources say Siddiqui had mastered the creation of digital IEDs and timer-based explosive devices. During his arrest, authorities recovered explosive materials, electronic devices, wires, timers, and even walkie-talkies from nearby areas.
He was reportedly planning a fresh terror strike in Bengaluru, rekindling fears of renewed attacks. The Karnataka ATS and Tamil Nadu ATS are now coordinating, and a body warrant is being prepared to bring Siddiqui to Bengaluru for detailed interrogation.
An official said Siddiqui’s links to other wanted suspects are being probed, and his communications and digital devices are being thoroughly analysed.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Karnataka police had been searching for Siddiqui for over a decade.
About the Author
