Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force (STF) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) arrested Javed Shaikh and Majid from Muzaffarnagar’s Khalapar neighbourhood on 16 February in a joint operation. They had 4 time bombs and other explosives. Javed Shaikh revealed that a Muzaffarnagar resident named Imrana had paid him to make the explosives. The UP STF is now searching for Imrana. It was also discovered that Shaikh has connections to Nepal through his mother.

Evidence showed that Imrana had ordered over 200 bombs from Shaikh in 2013 during the Muzaffarnagar violence and distributed them during the unrest. The agencies are investigating her reasons for commissioning these bombs. Raids were conducted in Muzaffarnagar to find her, but she was not there. Imrana is the only one who knows the exact location and date planned for using these explosives.

Apart from the bombs, other items found with the accused included cotton, POP, gunpowder, and small iron bullets. Shaikh stated during interrogation that Imrana paid him Rs 10,000 in advance and promised Rs 40,000 more upon delivery. He was caught while on his way to deliver the bombs.

Shaikh learned bomb-making from his uncle Mohammad Arshi, who lives in Muzaffarnagar. He also used the internet and YouTube to learn bomb-making techniques. The bombs were improvised explosive device (IED) bottle bombs filled with cotton, POP, iron pellets, and gunpowder. Iron nails were bought from bicycle shops, glucose bottles from doctors, and watchmaking equipment from watch stores.

Amitabh Yash, Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order and state STF chief, stated, “Two accused were arrested in Muzaffarnagar and four IEDs were recovered from them. All of these could be triggered through a remote control or timer. Those who built these bombs have been arrested. They had built similar bombs and distributed them during the Muzaffarnagar riots. Both these accused are being questioned.”