Man walks up to cops, says he carried out July 10 Pune blast

A youth from Jammu & Kashmir showed up at the Azad Maidan on Thursday, claiming himself to be a member of Hizbul Mujahideen and that he and his associates had carried out the blast in Pune on July 10. Three people had been injured in the low-intensity blast.

Bashir Ahmed Guglu also claimed that they were supposed to trigger a series of explosions in Mumbai. The Intelligence Bureau is questioning Gugli, 25, to verify his claims, sources said. They said Guglu first approached Delhi cops, but since they did not pay heed to his claims, he approached the Mumbai police.

Guglu apparently has told the police that he and his three friends from J&K – Faiyyaz Malik, Mudassar Nazir and Nazir Shah – were members of banned outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

"Guglu said that they were planning to carry out serial blasts in Mumbai on July 20. He said they were to target Bandra, Juhu and a 5-star hotel in Colaba," said an officer, requesting anonymity.

Shawl seller
The police said Guglu has studied till class IX. His school teacher used to smuggle arms by concealing them in students' bags. Guglu was arrested by the J&K police after his name figured in a murder case. Following his father's death, his relatives refused to give him his share of family business. He then went to Kolkata and started selling shawls. Meanwhile, he got in touch with Hizbul members.