SIMI activists go underground

Most of the Students Islamic Movement of India activists in Akola have gone underground after the recent serial blasts on suburban trains in Mumbai and police have formed teams to search their hideouts, sources said in Akola on Saturday.

With SIMI leader Vakar-ul-hasan Muzaffar Hussain in Nagpur Central Jail after his arrest at New Delhi on August 9, 2001, most of the members in the district have been inactive, sources said.

Hussain along with other two activists from Jalgaon was sentenced to 7 years rigorous imprisonment by the Jalgaon session court in May last for anti-national activities, sources said.

After the Mumbai blasts on July 11 some SIMI activists have gone underground fearing arrest, sources said.

Weapons like swords and 50 litres of kerosene were seized from the house of one of the SIMI activists during a search operation on Friday, police said.