MASTER BOMBER TUNDA’S RUN ENDS

MASTER BOMBER TUNDA’S RUN ENDS Frequent Nepal Trips Alerted Intel Officers Raj Shekhar TNN  New Delhi: Abdul Karim Tunda’s arrest comes after intelligence officers noticed he was visiting Kathamandu frequently this year. A source says intelligence agencies tracked five such trips from Karachi.     Sleuths have been on his trail for years, but it was only  in the last one month that they stepped up their hunt for Tunda. Three of his phones and the Nepal locations he frequented were under surveillance. He mostly visited madarssas along the India-Nepal border, the source said.     Efforts were intensified last week after IB intercepted a Hafiz Saeed-Tunda conversation in which Tunda was reportedly told to move out of Pakistan and reach Kathmandu. The IB also tipped off the special cell through an August 8 alert. This said Saeed had asked Tunda to prepare for a Red Fort-like attack soon.      There are two versions of his arrest. The official version said he had taken a flight from Karachi to Kathmandu, but another said Tunda was on a flight from UAE to Kathmandu. A special cell officer said after he landed in Kathmandu, Tunda’s location was tracked along the border. Once the locations were pin pointed IB and special cell teams moved in. Eight teams comprising inspectors Hriday Bhushan, Lalit Mohan Negi, Chandika Prasad and others led by DCP Sanjeev Yadav were dispatched and they camped at six border posts.     The teams had two plans. One to arrest him at the border on arrival, the second was to co-ordinate with international agencies and force his surrender through RAW. While sources outside the special cell said RAW officials in Nepal handed Tunda over to the special cell at the Banwasa crossing, the cell did not comment on this. They merely said “We arrested him on arrival at the Banwasa-Mahinder Nagar crossing.” Asked if the arrest was a continuation of a series of deportations that have been happening in recent times, including that of Fasih and Abu Jundal, a senior officer refused comment.  ‘Jab main niklunga, tab main karunga’ New Delhi: An unrepentant Abdul Karim Tunda told interrogators he plans to carry out more terror strikes in India. In custody in the special cell’s Lodhi Colony office, the hardened terrorist told an officer he’ll attack again “once he gets out”. “Jab main niklunga… tab main karunga…,” he said of his plans. Tunda also talked of LeT’s future plans.     Sturdy with a commanding voice, the 70-year-old is seemingly unfazed by his arrest. When the Delhi Police team arrested him on Friday at the border with Nepal, he didn’t say anything except “Chalo, kahan chalna hai (Let’s go, wherever we have to)”. Tunda is not answering all questions, and misinforming on others. “He’s misleading us at times, at others not answering. He’s a motivator and can read our questions,” said an officer. The terrorist has since Friday offered namaaz punctually and has not asked for anything.     Tunda’s been answering investigators in English and Urdu. Questions so far have revolved around important operatives, training centres, bases, safe-houses, LeT codes and funding channels. Delhi Police and intelligence agencies expect and hope to arrest Lashkar operatives within India. Tunda’s also facing questions about ISI operatives, reportedly his first recruiter.