1993 Train Blasts Case: Abdul Karim Tunda Acquitted, Two Get Lifer

New Delhi: Abdul Karim Tunda (80), an accused in the serial blast case that rocked five cities in 1993, was acquitted by the TADA court of Ajmer in Rajasthan on Thursday. The court, however, awarded life imprisonment to two others Irfan (70) and Hameeduddin (44). The trio was escorted by the police to the TADA court at approximately 11:15 AM under heavy security measures. 

They faced accusations relating to the series of bomb blasts that occurred on trains in Lucknow, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Surat, and Mumbai on December 6, 1993.

On February 28, 2004, the TADA court awarded 16 accused to life imprisonment in the case. After the TADA court's ruling, the Supreme Court acquitted four men of the charges, while confirming the sentences for the rest of the accused.

About Abdul Karim Tunda

Tunda was accused of a bomb blast in front of the police headquarters in Delhi in 1996. In the same year, Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against him.

In 2000, there were reports of Tunda being killed in Bangladesh, but in 2005 Lashkar terrorist Abdul Razzaq Masood was caught in Delhi, who revealed that Tunda was alive.

Tunda was also among the 20 terrorists whose extradition to India was sought from Pakistan after the attack on Parliament House in 2001.

He was finally nabbed in 2013 from the India-Nepal border.

How Abdul Karim Was Named Tunda?

Abdul Karim, nicknamed 'Tunda' due to losing an arm while making a bomb, was embroiled in approximately 33 criminal cases. He is accused of orchestrating around 40 bomb blasts during the period of 1997-98.

In India, there are only three specialized courts designated to handle TADA cases: Mumbai, Ajmer, and the newly established Srinagar Court. Due to its recent formation, the Srinagar Court primarily handles cases from North India. Consequently, the Ajmer TADA Court predominantly oversees cases from North India, while Mumbai TADA Court mainly deals with cases from South India.