Hundreds detained for questioning

Mumbai: Police have detained hundreds of people for questioning in connection with the Tuesday train bombings.

A Reuters report said police detained more than 150 people for questioning in Mumbai on Thursday. AP put the figure at 350.

Most detentions were made overnight in Malwani, a suburb in northeastern Mumbai, said a police official.

Nobody has been formally arrested or charged, and the detainees were rounded up only for questioning to help with investigations.

Railway stations, lodges and hotels were searched and suspected activists of the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were rounded up from their homes. PTI reported that about 200 people, mostly SIMI supporters, were detained.

Mumbai Police Commissioner A N Roy confirmed a large number of arrests had been made but refused to give an exact figure.

''There have been widespread search operations. A lot of people have been detained for questioning,'' he said. ''This is all part of a large scale investigation, the search operation and combing operation.''

Investigators said they had prepared sketches of three suspects seen at some of the bomb sites and were working on several leads. "We have detained some people for questioning and raids are happening in many places," said P.S. Pasricha, Maharashtra Director General of police.

"The sketches have been prepared after getting details from an eyewitness and scores of persons injured in the blast," a senior crime branch official said in Mumbai

SIMI culprit, says Centre

The Home Ministry has confirmed the involvement of SIMI in the blasts. SIMI may have executed the blasts with the help of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), said officials.

The Mumbai police are likely to question activists of the banned group. Police had claimed that the module comprises of people, who have no earlier criminal record.

Although the use of RDX in the attacks has not been ruled out there are reports that gelatine and timers could have been used, said police sources.

Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) and Mumbai Police sources said SIMI activists had provided logistics support to LeT men during the 2002-03 blasts, and the possibility cannot be ruled out that this time too the banned outfit may have assisted the LeT in executing the blasts.

Sources said the ATS was shortlisting SIMI activists in Mumbai—those who have a past criminal record as well as those who have been noticed for furthering SIMI activities covertly. These activists are likely to be interrogated, sources said.

"It is not necessary that those shortlisted may have actually participated in the blasts or have provided support to the perpetrators. But their interrogation will certainly provide some valuable leads, including clues, about missing SIMI members," ATS sources said.

Meanwhile, the ATS is waiting for the forensic reports on the exact nature of the explosives used in the blasts. "We have received a number of samples and each of them is being examined," said forensic experts.

Combing operations meanwhile, have begun in Mumbai as part of investigations. Hotels and guesthouses are being searched by the Mumbai Crime Branch, reported a news channel.

Investigative agencies have recovered rexene bags at all seven blast locations. Along with the bags, investigators have also found similar kind of nails at all spots.

Even cell phone calls made from near the blast sites are being analysed. Nearly 100-150 suspicious calls are being looked at but there is nothing conclusive as yet.

According to reports, the Jammu and Kashmir Police claim that an arrested LeT militant had earlier disclosed that Mumbai suburban trains were to be targeted.

The information was passed to New Delhi and central security forces. However, Home Ministry has denied receiving any such information.

(With inputs from AP, Reuters and PTI)