Bhubaneshwar: Four absconding operatives of the outlawed outfit Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were arrested in a joint operation at Rourkela late last night yesterday after a three-hour-long gunbattle.
With specific input of Telangana Counter Intelligence cell, Odisha Police arrested the four terrorists who were on the run since they absconded from MP's Khandwa Jail.
After a three hour long exchange of fire, the four who belonged to Madhya Pradesh were arrested by the Special Tactical Unit of Special Operation Group (SOG), Rourkela Police, Telengana Police and IB, Special Director (Intelligence) of Odisha Police Arun Kumar Sarangi said.
The accused were identified as Shaikh Mehboob alias Guddu alias Maliq, Amjad alias Daud, Mohammed Aslam alias Bilal, Zakir Hussain alias Sadiq.
At least five fire arms and ammunition have been seized from their possession.
The four were involved in a series of terrorist related cases and bank dacoity cases outside Odisha.
Sarangi said, the four SIMI operatives were allegedly involved in 17 cases of terror, blasts, killing of policemen and bank heist over the last 4 years in TN, Telengana, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh and UP.
They are also suspected to be involved in one bank robbery in Sundergarh.
