The registration number of the motorcycle used by the killers of a tailor in Udaipur may be a chilling reference to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Officials said the vehicle’s number ‘2611’ was obtained by one of the accused by paying a specific fee. The serial attacks, which took place on November 26, 2008, are often referred to as 26/11 in general.

The accused, Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad fled after brutally hacking tailor Kanhaiya Lal to death on June 28. They were caught in the Bhim area of Rajsamand hours after the incident.

According to officials, in March 2013, when he bought the bike, Akhtari paid Rs 1,000 to obtain the number of his choice.

“The registration number of the bike on which they were fleeing was RJ 27 AS 2611. The motorcycle was handed over to the SIT (special investigation team) for further action,” said the station house officer of Bhim police station.

According to Udaipur regional transport officer Prabhu Lal Bamniya, the motorcycle was registered under Akhtari and he had paid a fee of Rs 1,000 to secure the number in March 2013.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived at Mumbai by sea and opened fire indiscriminately at people, killing 166, including 18 security personnel. Ajmal Kasab was the only terrorist captured alive and was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

THE CASE SO FAR

A senior police official said two more were arrested late on Thursday for conspiring to Kanhaiya’s killing. The main accused posted the young tailor’s grisly beheading online claiming responsibility and issuing threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s life.

Police said the co-conspirators of the murder were arrested and being interrogated. They have been identified as Mohsin and Asif. The case is now being probed by National Investigation Agency (NIA) with the support of the Anti-Terrorist Squad and Special Operations Group of the Rajasthan police.

After the Centre said it wanted the brutal killing to be investigated as a case of “terror”, the NIA is looking into the role of “local self-radicalised” groups and other linkages of the main accused. Officials said the federal agency is awaiting custody of Akhtari and Mohammad so that it can begin questioning them as charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Indian Penal Code.

The NIA said the two wanted to “strike terror among the masses across the country” even as preliminary probe suggests that more people could be involved in the conspiracy. Akhtari and Mohammad are being taken to Jaipur where they will be produced before a special NIA court, officials said.

The NIA said the two became members of Pakistan-based Sunni Islamic organisation Dawat-e-Islami via a mobile application and one of them was in touch with some people in Pakistan. They, however, said it was too early to draw conclusions yet. A team of around 10 NIA personnel, led by an inspector general-rank officer, is camping in Udaipur to take the probe forward.

The Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami website says it is a “global non-political Islamic organisation working for the propagation of the Quran and Sunnah throughout the globe” and that it was established in 1981. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot visited the tailor’s family and told reporters that he wanted the NIA to file the chargesheet in a fast-track court as soon as possible, so that the culprits are brought to justice.

(With PTI inputs)

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