TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: In what is turning out to be a major intelligence lapse on the part of Goa police, Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal stayed within one kilometer radius of Anjuna police station for months.
A Chimbel youth who was Bhatkal’s contact in Goa, who was picked up by the National Investigation Agency on its last visit also exposes police failure to keep a track on suspicious activities. The local whose details are not known was among other youths who were reportedly recruited by Bhatkal for terrorist training.
The NIA team is currently stationed in Goa and is likely to revisit the places thought to be recced by Bhatkal including the place he stayed at, at Anjuna.
Meanwhile, the rented house where Bhatkal lived with two other persons is located between Chapora-Anjuna. The police ironically did not know about him despite the department’s repeated claims of carrying out regular beat patrolling across the State 24×7.
The red tiled roof house belongs to Dnyaneshwar Chari, who lives at Duler Mapusa. Chari said he wanted to start a workshop but due to a major injury to his hand, he rented out the house for Rs 7500 per month. The name plate on the house mentions that it belongs to Shanu Chari.
With police failing to gather information about Bhatkal who stayed here, it has been learnt through reliable sources that police will reportedly seek interrogation details of Bhatkal from the NIA.
Chari, who has come under the NIA scanner claims he had completed all the formalities before renting out the house. “I have done all the formalities and submitted C-form to the police,” he said. He however does not remember the name of the person who had signed on the C form but it was “not Bhatkal”. He added, “There were two of them who gave their Pune address. Whatever documents I had, I have given it to NIA.”
Bhatkal was brought to Goa in a special chartered flight from Delhi by NIA, accompanied by Border Security Force, last weekend. The Crime Branch was informed about their visit. Five vehicles of Goa police took the team escorting Bhatkal to Chapora, Anjuna, Margao, Vasco and Chimbel.
Bhatkal’s links with Goa were revealed through on his interrogation. Sources said his father has donated money for construction of a religious structure at Vasco. Bhatkal was taken back from Goa on Saturday night itself. Meanwhile, it is learn that two men stayed at Chari’s Anjuna house, from November 2011 to February 2012, while Bhatkal joined them later.
“I recognized him looking at his picture in the media. NIA has collected several things from the house. They have got pressure cooker, bottles of acids which were left behind by them. There was one second hand Yamaha which they were using and was abandoned when they left. I had cleaned the house but had kept the acid bottles aside,” Chari said.
The trio however left the house without informing the owner. “The person who signed on C form (actually tenant verification form) left the house because he said he had to attend a wedding in Pune. Since then they never came back I had complained to Anjuna police and only after their permission I have broke open the house,” he said. It is learnt that the house was later rented out to some foreigners. The investigation agencies are also looking out for the two men known to the terrorist.
