Residents take a look at a poster issued by NIA at Laheria Sarai police station in Darbhanga. Picture by Mohan Mahato

Patna, July 10: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a manhunt to apprehend two Pakistan-returned siblings living in Uttardaha village under Jagdishpur block of Bhojpur district.

The brothers — Sarfu Rahman and Sahidur Rahman aged between 30 and 35 years — returned to their native village in Bhojpur from Pakistan on May 6 and June 16, respectively, and went underground. An NIA team visited Uttardaha village under Piro police station, around 90km west from here, on June 30 and enquired about the duo. Both of them, according to the intelligence agency, have been imparted specialised training on making improvised explosive devices in Pakistan.

The search for the two brothers assumes significance in the wake of the serial explosions in Bodhgaya on Sunday morning. The NIA has been assigned to probe the serial blasts, the first of its kind in the state.

Intelligence reports suggest that Sarfu and Sahidur, who spent about 10 years in Pakistan, have also been trained to handle sophisticated arms. The Intelligence Bureau submitted a report on suspicious activities of the two brothers during their stay in Pakistan to the state home department on June 30, sources said.

Bhojpur superintendent of police (SP) Satyavir Singh feigned ignorance about any such report, though. “I have no idea about the two brothers, whom you are talking about,” he told The Telegraph over phone.

Sources, however, said the SP had given specific task to his personnel to gather information about the whereabouts of Sarfu and Sahidur, who have suddenly vanished. “They have become rich overnight. Something is fishy about them,” a local resident of Uttardaha said.

The NIA is also looking for Rohtas resident Dhirendra Sharma, absconding since 2009. A resident of Bak village under Akaurigola police station, around 175km southwest from here, Dhirendra allegedly had close links with Pakistan-based terrorist groups. Sharma’s father Dinbandhu Sharma and his brother Vikas Sharma were arrested but were released on bail later.

A senior police officer said a number of passports, visas and foreign currencies were seized from Dhirendra’s house during a raid conducted by a Rohtas police team under the leadership of then superintendent of police Vikas Vaibhav, who is at present posted as SP in the NIA. The raid was carried out in September 2009.

The officer said the Rohtas police carried out a raid at Dhirendra’s house on the basis of information given by the anti-terrorist squad of Maharashtra (Mumbai) police, who had found him talking to Ajmal Kasab during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Dhirendra’s alleged links with Pakistani terrorists were established after scrutinising the call details record of his cellphone.

Station house officer of Akaurigola police station Narendra Kumar Singh said raids were conducted at possible hideouts of Dhirendra but he evaded arrest.