UP Police arrests Mumbai blasts convict Jalees Ansari

Mumbai serial blasts convict Jalees Ansari, who had gone missing while on parole, has been arrested from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, state Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh said on Friday.

"Jalees Ansari was arrested yesterday when he was coming out of a mosque in Kanpur. He has been brought to Lucknow. It is a big achievement for the state police," Singh said in a press conference in Lucknow here.

He said that a special task force officer "dramatically engaged Ansari in a conversation while he was coming out of a mosque and identified him before arresting him".

"The arrest was made after the STF IG received credible information about Ansari," the DGP said.

According to police, Ansari has been involved in more than 50 terrorist attacks across the country.

Giving information about the arrest, the STF IG said, "There was input that Ansari might try to go to Nepal via Uttar Pradesh. We had alerted police to keep an eye on the roads leading to Nepal. He is a resident of Kabir Nagar."

"He is an expert in making bombs and has made explosives used in more than 50 terrorist attacks," he said.

The Mumbai Police had on Thursday launched a manhunt to trace Ansari after a "missing" complaint was lodged by his family members at Agripada Police Station.

Ansari, who is serving a life term and was out on parole for 21 days from Rajasthan's Ajmer Central Prison, went missing on Thursday morning.

During the parole period, Ansari was directed to visit the Agripada Police Station to mark his attendance every day.

Over 250 people died and 713 others were injured after a series of bomb blasts rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993.

( With inputs from ANI )