Conspiracy to kill saffron leaders in Gujarat

With the arrest of five 'Inter-Services Intelligence' and 'Jaish-e-Mohammed' agents, the Gujarat police on Friday claimed to have unearthed a conspiracy to kill Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in the state.

Acting on a tip-off, Crime Branch sleuths led by Inspector Tarun Barot arrested five people on Thursday and seized two pistols and 38 cartridges, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Chittranjan Singh said.

Harish Ansari and Junaid Sayyed were held near the residence of a local VHP leader, D R Jaideep Patel, in Naroda area; Zahid Khan Pathan alias Mullah alias Hazrat, Mohammed Rauf and Rafiq were nabbed later, he said.

Two motorcycle-borne assailants had tried to kill Patel on December 3, 2002, he said.

The commissioner said the mastermind of the conspiracy was Jaish agent Khaleed alias Abu Tallah, a native of Hyderabad, who had also sent the two terrorists who attacked the Akshardham temple on September 24, 2002.