Indian police detain Kashmiri militant alleged to have left bomb on bus in October

Indian police have detained a Kashmiri militant who allegedly planted an explosive on a bus during the triple bombings that killed 60 people in New Delhi two months ago, a newspaper reported Friday. The Hindustan Times reported that the suspect was arrested Nov. 22 in Srinagar, the main city of Indian-controlled Kashmir, where he was studying.

The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said investigators described the man as an Indian born in Kashmir and a hard-core member of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba militant group, which is among the dozens of insurgent groups fighting to wrest Kashmir from India. Police could not immediately confirm the newspaper report, but they have said Laskhar was behind the near-simultaneous Oct. 29 bombings in crowded markets and on a bus on the eve of a major Hindu festival when thousands of people were doing last-minute shopping. In addition to the 60 dead, more than 200 people were wounded.

The man arrested in Srinagar allegedly left a bomb hidden in a bag on a passenger bus. The driver and bus conductor spotted the bag and were throwing it out when it went off, injuring both of them and seven others.

Indian police claimed a major breakthrough in the investigation last month when they arrested a Kashmiri militant leader, Tariq Ahmad Dar, who they said planned and funded the attacks,reports the AP. I.L.