As many as 22 bombs ripped through the city of Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008. Within a span of 75 minutes, 56 people lost their lives and 240 others were wounded. While proscribed terror group Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the serial blasts, the biggest challenge was to nab the masterminds and bring them to justice.
After that bloody day, all law enforcement agencies were engaged to crack the case. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch led by Joint Commissioner of Police Ashish Bhatia and Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhay Chudasma was entrusted with the case.
NO LEADS TO BE HAD
All the investigating officers were under extreme pressure to deliver; they pounded the pavements, hit up informants, and worked round the clock to secure a lead. But it seemed like they had hit a brick wall right from the get-go as no clues were to be found.
While the first wave of blasts was primarily carried out using bicycle bombs, the explosions at LG Hospital and Civil Hospital were set off using gas cylinders placed inside cars. Police were unable to unearth any information regarding these vehicles — there were no leads as to where they came from, who they belonged to.
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FIRST BREAKTHROUGH
Just when it seemed like the investigation had hit a dead end, DCP Abhay Chudasma received a sudden phone call from a constable in Bharuch, named Yakub Ali. The constable’s first question was if he had received any information regarding the car used to carry out the blasts. Chudasma was initially unwilling to share any details of the case. But then Yakub Ali said, “Sir, I have seen the photos of the blast case, the cars which were used for the blasts at the hospitals, I have seen them in Bharuch.”
Abhay Chudasama was dumbfounded. Yakub went on to say, “I had seen both these vehicles at Bharuch. I think I saw these vehicles parked in the parking lot of Ghulam bhai, who lives in Bharuch, while passing by his house.”
YAKUB INVESTIGATE
Immediately, Chudasma ordered Yakub to investigate whom the cars belonged to and who had brought them. Yakub rushed to Ghulam bhai’s house. He had an old newspaper in his hand. He showed Ghulam bhai the picture of the car featured in the newspaper and asked whether he recognized the car.
Ghulam bhai was taken back. He examined the newspaper photo and told Yakub that the car resembled one that belonged to a few people who stayed at his house on rent for a couple of days. After taking down Ghulam bhai’s contact details, Yakub immediately returned to the police station and passed on what he had learned to DCP Chudasma.
At that time, Yakub Ali had not realized how valuable the information he got would be. But it changed the course of the entire investigation.
READ: The Ahmedabad serial blasts of 2008 | A recap
ONE MAN SURVEILLANCE
Like Yakub Ali, another constable played a prominent role in the probe. Constable Dilip Thakur was given the task of surveilling all phone numbers that made calls during the serial blasts in Ahmedabad.
Thakur manually checked lakhs of phone numbers and some suspicious numbers were given to the investigating officers. This led the Crime Branch to Abu Bashar in Lucknow, a prime accused in the Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
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