Indian terror fugitive entered Thailand on Sept 7, no record of him leaving

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: Immigration investigations into an Indian fugitive wanted for killing a minister in a car-bomb attack has found that he entered Thailand thrice this year, the last being on September 7, and there is no official record of him leaving Thailand since then.

Interpol has asked Thai authorities to help locate Jagtar Singh Tara, who escaped from a maximum-security prison in India in 2004. It is suspected that the convict may travel to other places in Southeast Asia.

Latest intelligence reports say that he may be headed for Malaysia via Thailand.

Tara’s possible presence in the restive South has raised fears, as the region has been facing bomb attacks and violence resulting in deaths and injuries on a daily basis. “The fugitive used a fake name in his passport, which identified him as a Pakistani. In the passport, AK 5728381, he used his own photo. For all those three visits, he entered via Suvarnabhumi Airport,” a source said.

He first arrived in Thailand on June 22 and he used a tourist visa to stay until August 28, when he left the country. He returned two days later on a non-immigrant visa and stayed for a week before departing on September 5.

On October 6, the Indian Embassy asked Thai police office to arrest Tara and extradite him.

The fugitive is wanted in his home country on six charges, including murder, illegal possession of weapons, terrorism, perjury as well as raising funds for terrorism.

A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for the fugitive.

— Phuket Gazette Editors