Sunday, April 24 2005 14:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Siwan: Special Task Force (STF) commandos raided the ancestral house of Mohammed Shahubuddin, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lok Sabha member and that of his relatives at his native Pratapur village in Bihar's Siwan district in the wee hours today, police said.

One SLR, two rifles, one looted motorbike and a Tata Sumo were seized during the operation in the village, police said.

In all seven houses were raided, they said adding that one deer was also recovered from the area.

Two right-hand men of Shahubuddin, Maksud and Jamaluddin, have been taken into custody for interrogation.

The raids were launched by the STF with the assistance of the local police following a tip-off that criminals were taking shelter at some houses in the village and possessed sophisticated firearms.

The raids, which started from 04:00hrs (IST) lasted for four and a half hours. Police superintendent Ratna Sanjay and DSP STF were camping at the village.

Siwan district administration and Shahabuddin have been at loggerheads ever since the District Magistrate C K Anil had externed the former from Siwan district limits for six months just a few days before the Bihar Assembly polls held in February last (2004).