Dilsukhnagar Blasts Coverage

IM involvement in Dilsukhnagar blasts

On February 21, 2013 two IEDs were detonated within 100 metres of each other in Disukhnagar area in Hyderabad killing 18 people and injuring 119 others. Sudhakar, working for Deccan Chronicle at the time, was one of the first on the site and provided extensive on-ground coverage of the destruction of life and property.

Sudhakar wrote regular updates about the investigation by the NIA, the primary wing for investigation into terror outfits in India. The investigations revealed the involvement of Indian Mujahideen (IM) in the planning and execution of the bombings. Yasin Bhatkal and five others were convicted in the case and were given the death penalty.

Sudhakar highlighted key details of the probe such as IM’s search for the outfit’s new top gun (code Shahrukh) and tracking their movement and activity, offline and online. Sudhakar’s reports were multifaceted providing developments in the case from beyond the border too. Sudhakar reported on suspected links to the case to Dubai and Nepal.

The reports included the efforts to trace the accused through large amounts of intelligence collected from public CCTVs, cellphones and vehicles of the accused. A background check into one of the accused Syed Maqbool’s crime record had revealed that Maqbool had received a ‘good conduct’ certificate by the Cherlapally jail authorities. He was released from jail in 2009.