Thaindian News

Mumbai, March 12 (IANS) Many terrorist sleeper cells are hidden in Mumbai with designs to blow up top business and political hubs in the city, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Mumbai Police disclosed Wednesday. The revelations follow preliminary investigations after two Bangladeshi terrorists were gunned down late Tuesday night in Mira Road, in adjoining Thane district by the ATS.

“The targets include the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Jeejeebhoy Towers Building, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) headquarters, the Mantralaya, the Maharashtra government headquarters, all in south Mumbai, and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex,” Additional Commissioner of Police (ATS) Param Bir Singh told IANS.

According to Singh, the two killed Bangladeshi terrorists had close ties with the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI). One of them has been identified as Mohammad Ali.

The police also recovered fake Indian currency notes, two small firearms and a white powdery substance suspected to be RDX from the two gunned down Bangladeshis.

“We have sent this powder to the lab for analysis to ascertain whether it is RDX or not,” Singh said.

“The Mumbai police have gone on a high alert following the encounter and security at all important places has been beefed up,” Singh said.

Tuesday’s shootout assumes significance as it came on the eve of the anniversary of the March 12, 1993 serial blasts here.

The revelations also come when the state legislature is holding the annual budget Session at the Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature), opposite the Mantralaya (state secretariat) in Nariman Point, south Mumbai.