6 more SIMI activists arrested

Six suspected activists of outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were arrested on Monday by Madhya Pradesh police which announced reward on the head of two SIMI activists' absconding from Jabalpur.

While five SIMI activists were arrested from Guna this morning and taken for interrogation, a suspected SIMI activist was held in Indore for allegedly indulging in illegal activities and aiding anti-national elements, a senior police officer said.

With the arrest of six suspected SIMI activists, the total number of those held has gone upto 35. On 27th March, 13 top SIMI activists were arrested including its state head Safdar Nagori.

The five suspected SIMI activists from Guna were taken into custody following a tip-off by arrested SIMI leaders, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Awdhesh Pratap Singh told reporters at Guna.

Whether they are involved in unlawful activities or not will be known after the investigation completes, he said. The arrested SIMI worker in Indore was identified as Naved Irfan, police said, adding he was arrested from Muslim- dominated Khajrana area of the city.

Jabalpur SP Makrand Deoskar announced a reward of Rs 5,000 to those who help trace two absconding SIMI activists Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Shakil.

Deoskar said the names of these two leaders surfaced after the arrest of top SIMI leaders in Indore and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh last month.