Jharkhand: Three held over petrol bomb attack on RSS office in Ranchi

Three people have been arrested in connection with the alleged petrol bomb attack on a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS office in Ranchi reported the PTIPolice are investigating possible links between the accused and terror organisations including suspected connections with Pakistanbased networksOne of the accused was injured during a brief exchange of fire with police after attempting to escape from custody officials saidThe incident came to light after the RSS alleged that petrol bombs were thrown at its office in the Nivaranpur area of Ranchi during the early hours of Wednesday as per the PTIFollowing the complaint police formed a Special Investigation Team SIT to examine the case and identify those responsibleDuring the investigation officers recovered broken glass bottle fragments from the site Forensic experts and bomb disposal teams were also deployed to examine the areaArrests made in Ranchi and LohardagaAccording to police two suspects were arrested in Lohardaga district late on Wednesday Authorities also seized a car allegedly used in the incidentA third accused was arrested on June 18 taking the total number of arrests to threePolice identified one of the accused as Saif Ansari also known as RohitRanchi Superintendent of Police Paras Rana said Saif Ansari escaped from Ranchis Kotwali police station during questioningAccording to police he requested permission to use the washroom and then fled after breaking a window Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and discovered that he had boarded a bus after escapingPolice subsequently alerted nearby stations and circulated his photograph leading to a search operationGunfight during recaptureThe accused was eventually traced near a toll plaza in the Chanho areaPolice said that while being transported back into custody he allegedly snatched a weapon from an officer and fired two to three roundsSecurity personnel returned fire injuring him in one leg He was later taken to a hospital in Ranchi for treatmentRanchi City Deputy Superintendent of Police K V Raman said investigators are examining whether the accused have links to Pakistans InterServices Intelligence ISI or other extremist organisationsHe stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that more information would be shared once inquiries are completedPolice also clarified that no improvised explosive device IED or other explosive material was recovered from the scene Preliminary findings suggest that the bottles used in the attack contained petrolPolitical reactionsSenior BJP leader and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das condemned the attack and described it as a serious incident targeting the RSSAfter visiting the RSS office Das criticised the states law and order situation and said he had spoken with the Director General of Police regarding the matterHe also accused the ruling government of failing to curb extremist elements allegations that are likely to intensify political debate in the state as the investigation continuesInvestigation underwayPolice officials said the interrogation of the accused is ongoing and that efforts are focused on establishing the motive behind the attack identifying any wider network involved and verifying the suspected terror linksFurther arrests have not been ruled out as the investigation progresseswith PTI inputs