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9 acquitted in Hyderabad blast cases

June 02, 2007 12:21 IST

A Hyderabad court on Friday acquitted nine accused in connection with the low-intensity bomb blasts that rocked the city in 1993. Three persons were killed and several others were injured in these blasts.

Seventh Metropolitan Magistrate G Radhakrishna struck down the case and acquitted nine accused who are currently lodged in Cherlapalli central jail in Hyderabad.

The series of low-intensity bomb blasts had occurred from August 12 to December 6, 1993, in the wake of the demolition of Babri Masjid in December 1992.

These blasts had occurred on August 12 at Abids and Humayun Nagar police stations, followed by a blast at the Secunderabad Railway Reservations Complex a month later (September 12). On October 22, a bomb kept in a tiffin box exploded at Madina Education Complex at Nampally, killing one person and injuring three others.

Subsequently, on December 6, on the first anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, a bomb exploded in the New Delhi-bound AP Express train near Moula Ali railway station on the city outskirts. Two passengers were killed and 14 others injured in the incident.

These serial blasts were considered as the handiwork of ISI-sponsored terror outfits. The Hyderabad City Police had arrested 10 persons in connection with the blasts, including Dr Jaleel Ansari, who had also masterminded the Mumbai blasts.

Currently, Jaleel Ansari is lodged in Ajmer jail. The trial went on for over 13 years.

Except Jaleel Ansari, the magistrate acquitted the other accused -- Shamsuddin, Zaheeruddin Ahmed, Azeemuddin, Nazeeruddin, Mohammed Yousuf, Mohammed Ansari (all from Karnataka), Ghouse, Mohammed Pasha and Aziz Akbar (from Hyderabad). Jaleel was not present in the court.

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad