Yasin Bhatkal's Security, a worry for Police

Who would accompany the infamous terrorist, Yasin Bhatkal (in pic) alias Mohammed Ahmed Siddibappa, and ensure a safe passage for him to depose before a city court here? Even as the city police are staying tightlipped about the security arrangements, there was a tug-of-war between the state police and their counterparts in Hyderabad to take up the responsibility of ensuring an incident-free escort to the Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder while he attends the court for formally framing charges against him in connection with the 2010 Chinnaswamy stadium blasts. With neither state police initially refusing to step forward, the court had to ask Karnataka police to oversee the operation to bring Bhatkal back to his home turf, Karnataka. Bhatkal was sentenced to death in Hyderabad for his role in 2013 Dilkush Nagar bomb blasts. He is expected to be produced before 52 city civil magisterial court as part of the judicial process. “It is a high-risk operation and we had initially made it clear to the court that it was the responsibility of the officials at Cherlapally Central Jail in Hyderabad to ensure his transit security. But they refused and finally the court entrusted us with the task,” said sources. The city police officials however refused to divulge any details about the security arrangements being taken up to bring Yasin Bhatkal to the city. Bhatkal is one among the 13 accused of conspiring and executing low-intensity blasts at Chinnaswamy stadium on April 17, 2010. The charges framed against Bhatkal run into 22 pages and investigators claimed that he had personally conducted a recce of the stadium premises before his men planted the low-intensity explosives. “There were 13 people involved in the Chinnaswamy blasts, out of which Quateel Sidiqqi died and another five of them were arrested, including Bhatkal. Another seven are still absconding,” claimed a source. The chargesheet against Bhatkal also reportedly claimed that the timers of the two explosives malfunctioned and a major tragedy was averted at the stadium which was hosting an IPL match between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians. At least 15 people were injured in the blasts. Though officials claimed that they were ensuring all security measures, they refused to confirm whether Bhatkal was being brought to the city on February 4 itself or on any other date. However, they hinted that he would not be lodged in any prison for the time being as the framing of charges would be completed within a few minutes.