He said the two brothers, brought up in the strict Deoband way of life by their father, were also unhappy that the mosque authorities did not object to worshipping at dargahs. The brothers also reportedly joined the radical Tableeghi Jammat.

“Then the elder son went abroad. The younger son became a doctor and was helping his doctor parents run a nursing home in Bismillah Nagar. That was around two years ago,” said Samiullah. “Then Dr Maqbool began displaying signs of mental illness and they decided to sell the hospital. The younger son also went abroad.”

But most others saw them as normal, but deeply religious. “They were good boys, and lived quiet lives,” says Arif Khan, a grocer. “They can’t be involved in terrorism.”

In their brief interactions with neighbours and friends, the brothers would advise them to live strictly religious lives, eschewing smoking and even coffee or tea.

Officials at the Crescent School near the family’s house, where Kafeel organised a meeting to mark World Chechnya Day in 2006, on his return from the UK in late 2005, said the meeting was held under the aegis of the Jamait-i-Islami.

Sabeel, described by his mother Dr Zakia Ahmed as easy-going and cheerful, seemed to be apparently more popular. Friends affectionately called him “motey (fatso)” and ribbed him for his love of football.

On Friday, the Bangalore police, who questioned family members, said the Kafeel had refused to get married citing a “major project”, but the younger one had agreed to marry and even seen a prospective bride.

... contd.