As early as August 20, investigators from the Gujarat Police and the Intelligence Bureau probing the Ahmedabad blasts, handed over a series of cellphone numbers, including the one used by Atif alias Bashir, the alleged mastermind of the Delhi blasts and one of the two men killed in the Jamia encounter last Friday. Intercepts of Atif’s phone number indicate there were 12 people in his house the night before the encounter since Atif’s phone was used to order dinner for a dozen.

Sources have detailed the sequence of events to 'The Indian Express' that led to the encounter in which Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma lost his life.

Gujarat Police was told by the landlord of a house in Vatva, Ahmedabad, which was used by terrorists for the serial blasts in Ahmedabad on July 26 that one of the SIMI cadres used telephone number (9712398204) to call him for renting the house.

Tracing this number, Gujarat Police found that five pre-paid SIM cards had been purchased, including the above number, using fictitious identities. Investigations showed that this number was used by main accused Abu Bashar for a while.

Checking on the above number revealed that it received two calls from eastern UP from number 9415835341. This phone number went dead before the Ahmedabad blasts.

Working on the eastern UP number, the Gujarat Police found calls from 9811004309, which was being used by Atif.

Gujarat Police handed over Atif’s number for surveillance at a senior level to both the Delhi Police Special Branch and to the Intelligence Bureau. This is confirmed by DCP Alok Kumar.

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