Hunkar rally: Two held by NIA in connection with Patna blasts

New Delhi: Two people were arrested on Monday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with blasts at Narendra Modi's rally in Patna. The duo were arrested from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.

Modi is BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 General Elections. His 'Hunkar' rally was held in the capital of Bihar on October 27 last year. Eight people were killed in the five blasts that went off within the rally venue, while two exploded outside. A militant said to be belonging to Indian Mujahideen were among the eight killed.

As per reports, Fakruddin and Ahmed were arrested for allegedly procuring material used in the blasts during the rally.

The NIA, which was handed over the case, has been carrying out investigations into the case and with the help Intelligence Bureau it had nabbed Yasin Bhatkal who had named the main culprits behind the incident.
The NIA arrested four people, including Mohammed Imtiyaz Ansari who was apprehended by the public when he, along with another IM accused, was assembling bombs inside a toilet at a makeshift railway station in Patna.

The NIA had announced a cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh for information leading to arrest of five absconding accused of banned Indian Mujahideen terror group including Tahseen Akhtar in Bodh Gaya and Patna serial blasts cases.

Akhtar is said to have virtually taken over India operations of Indian Mujahideen after the arrest of Yaseen Bhatkal.

The blasts in Patna had led to a war of words between the Bihar government and the BJP. The top leaders of the BJP had accused the Nitish Kumar government of not providing enough security for Gujarat CM's rally. However, the Bihar CM refuted the allegations and said that there had been no lackadaisical approach from their side.

The BJP and JD(U) split last year after a 17 year old alliance over the issue of Modi being made NDA's PM candidate.