Imrana was arrested on Saturday evening by the Special Task Force of Meerut Police, days after the arrest of a man named Javed, whom she had paid for allegedly making time bombs using glass bottles packed with iron pellets.

Uttar Pradesh News: A woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut was arrested by the state police for allegedly paying a man to make bombs for her using glass bottles and iron pellets. The accused, Imrana, told the police that her house was damaged in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, and she wanted to have the explosives for “self-defense” in case similar riots erupted again.

Imrana was arrested on Saturday evening by the Special Task Force of Meerut Police, days after the arrest of a man named Javed, whom she had paid for allegedly making time bombs using glass bottles packed with iron pellets.

Javed, a resident of Muzaffarnagar district, was on his way to hand over the bombs to the woman, when he was nabbed by the Meerut STF, they said.

“Imrana knew Javed for long and had asked him to make the bombs. Javed was arrested when he was on his way to hand over four bombs to Imrana,” an official statement by the Meerut Police said.

‘In case riots break out’

As per the statement, Imrana told the cops that her house was allegedly damaged in the 2013 communal riots and she had asked for the bombs in case any violence or riot breaks out again.

Imrana also allegedly confessed she had kept such bombs at her house in the past, which were later handed over to other people.

The STF has lodged a case under the relevant sections of the IPC.

During interrogation, Javed told the police that the four bottle bombs recovered from him, were improvised explosive devices (IEDs). He revealed that the bottles were packed with gun powder-999, iron pellets, cotton, POP etc and he had manufactured the explosives at the behest of Imrana, wife of Azad, a native of Shamli currently residing in Muzaffarnagar.

Javed told the police that he used to buy glucose bottles from doctors and iron pellets from cycle shops, besides arranging watches.

Bottle bombs recovered, diffused

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) and ADG STF Amitabh Yash said the STF team arrested Javed around 11.45 am on Friday and recovered four timer bottle bombs (IEDs) from his possession.

The officer said the Uttar Pradesh STF had been receiving information for a long time about absconding or reward-declared criminals being active.

A case was registered against Javed at the Kotwali police station under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Explosive Substances Act.

In a statement, the police said a bomb disposal squad took the four bottle bombs in their possession and defused them in the forest of Nyajupura.

Imrana paid Javed to make bombs

Interrogation revealed that Imrana had given Javed Rs 10,000 in advance for making the bottle bombs and had told him that she will pay Rs 40,000 later at the time of delivery. He was arrested on Friday when he had come to deliver these bottle bombs to Imrana.

On being interrogated about making the bottle bombs, Javed said he learnt making gunpowder and bottle bombs by staying at the place of his uncle Arshi, a firecracker maker, and he had obtained some information through YouTube and the internet.

(With PTI inputs)