Two terrorists, 200 policemen: Mumbai cops go crazy over Yasin Bhatkal, Asadullah Akhtar

Taking serious note of the Delhi police’s inputs that Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives were attempting to help Yasin Bhatkal escape, the Maharashtra ATS has kept Bhatkal and his associate Asadullah Akhtar under heavy security, assigning 200 policemen to their security duty, ATS sources told dna.

“Last month, the Delhi police received information that IM was planning Bhatkal’s release and Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s abduction to trigger its plot. Taking this into consideration, we have kept him under heavy police security,” said a senior ATS officer.

He said that Bhatkal and Akhtar are currently lodged in the Bhoiwada lock-up. “They have been kept in different lock-ups within the same building. Four Quick-Response Team commandos armed with carbines are standing guard outside their doors. In all, 200 policemen are guarding them at different levels in two shifts. Moreover, their activities are also being monitored by a CCTV camera fitted outside their lock-ups,” the officer said.

Sources said it has been decided that the duo would not be brought outside the lock-up except for court hearings. “Only five ATS officers are questioning them,” he said. They also said that the security apparatus for the terrorists is similar to that of the 2008 Mumbai attacks accused Ajmal Kasab.