Possible terrorist strikes at popular tourist locations in Goa were prevented with the arrest of a militant at Margoa railway station. Tarique Jalal alias Tarique Batlo had explosives with him, including 1 kg of RDX and firearms, Neeraj Kumar, director general of police, said on Saturday.

Kumar added that police recovered 1 kg of RDX, two Russian-made hand-grenades, two electronic detenators, two cameras, a mobile phone and a CD from Jalal's possession after his arrest on Friday night.

Acting on intelligence inputs, he was taken into custody after alighted from Ernakulam-bound Matsyagandha Express at the railway station, Kumar said.

The DGP said during his interrogation that Tariq revealed that he was a member of Pakistan-based militant Tehrique-ul-Mujahiddin, which works under Lashkhar-e-Tayiba.

Tariq said he had taken two-and-a-half years training in Pakistan for conducting terrorist activities and has also travelled to Bangladesh and Nepal, Kumar claimed.

"Tourist spots could have been his target," the DGP said. "We have to find out whether he was here to set up base or execute some plan."

Investigations have revealed that the terrorist was frequenting Goa for the last eight months and was staying in a rented flat at Sirvodem near Margao town.