Five arrested with explosives

The Vadodara police on Sunday arrested five persons and seized a rocket launcher, explosives, five desi bombs, pipes and other raw material used in manufacturing  bombs. The arrests and seizure were made in course of investigations into the bomb explosion at Hathikhana in October 2008. The arrested persons had planned to use the rocket launcher, bombs and explosives if communal violence erupted in the city during Ganesh visarjan this year.

ACP, C division,  Rakesh Sharma said, "The police first arrested Zahirabbas Amiruddin Sheikh in connection with the Hathikhana case. During interrogation, he revealed the plot hatched for this year's Ganesh puja, in which four other persons were also involved. The police rounded up these four persons too, and after their questioning recovered the rocket launcher, bombs, explosives etc from Bharat Auto Garage located near Gulshan Manzil."

The city police produced Zakir Sheikh before a court for remand, while the other four were handed over to Crime branch officials for investigations.