Mangaluru: Home Minister Araga Jnanendra Mohammed Shariq, 24, an accused in the Mangaluru blast case, said he used to use other means of communication instead of telephone to talk to his associates.
The minister, after reviewing the case with top police officials, told reporters on Wednesday that the accused used Hindu names and stole ID cards of Hindus. He forged them and presented them in such a way that it was difficult for anyone to suspect him.
He kept changing places. He was arrested in 2020 in a pro-terrorist graffiti case, but was released after getting bail from the High Court. Gyanendra said he was on the police’s radar till the time he worked at a shop in Tirthahalli, but suddenly went missing.
Gyanendra said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had traveled to Coimbatore, Mysore, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Nagercoil and Cochin. Police is working on collecting evidence regarding his background, wealth and forces that were supporting him and encouraging him to indulge in such acts.
“We are collecting enough evidence to convict him. The Forensic Science Laboratory team of experts has also collected evidence from the site, which will be produced before the court,” said the minister. Shariq is being monitored and treated by a team of eight specialists.
“We wish him to get well soon so that the police can extract more information from him related to the incident. Once he is questioned, we will be able to go into the depth of the matter. I have spoken to the doctors treating him. Asked whether Tirthahalli is emerging as a terror hub as Sharik and other suspects linked to UAPA cases are from the area, he said, “Tirthahalli is a civilized taluk. It has given birth to well-known litterateurs and politicians. There are only a few youths who are introduced to the fanatics of Kerala and the coastal districts, who indulge in such antics.”
He said that if the cooker had burst completely, it would have had a huge impact. The accused had procured locally available material to prepare the bomb. He said that the Home Department is fully prepared to deal with forces working against the unity and integrity of the country by indulging in violence.
Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood Said that the police is probing from every angle. The investigation team has collected Shariq’s phone, computer and other technical material.
Asked whether it was an attempt to project it as an act of Hindu terror as the accused had allegedly used a picture of the Adiyogi Shiva statue as a status on a messaging app and at the time of the attack allegedly was formally dressed in a saffron shawl, Director General of police Said the blasts were aimed at creating discord between communities, destabilizing the country and disrupting harmony in society by instilling fear among people.
DGP Sood said that it is logical to assume that Shariq was getting radicalized since 2019 itself. The first manifestation of that radicalism was when he wrote on the walls of Mangaluru city and at that time he was rightfully booked under UAPA. He was on our radar and somewhere he changed his identity and it happened that even the family members did not suspect.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the police have launched the operation at eight places in Bengaluru, Mysore, Shivamogga and Mangaluru. Four people have been detained so far as part of the investigation.
The minister, after reviewing the case with top police officials, told reporters on Wednesday that the accused used Hindu names and stole ID cards of Hindus. He forged them and presented them in such a way that it was difficult for anyone to suspect him.
He kept changing places. He was arrested in 2020 in a pro-terrorist graffiti case, but was released after getting bail from the High Court. Gyanendra said he was on the police’s radar till the time he worked at a shop in Tirthahalli, but suddenly went missing.
Gyanendra said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had traveled to Coimbatore, Mysore, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Nagercoil and Cochin. Police is working on collecting evidence regarding his background, wealth and forces that were supporting him and encouraging him to indulge in such acts.
“We are collecting enough evidence to convict him. The Forensic Science Laboratory team of experts has also collected evidence from the site, which will be produced before the court,” said the minister. Shariq is being monitored and treated by a team of eight specialists.
“We wish him to get well soon so that the police can extract more information from him related to the incident. Once he is questioned, we will be able to go into the depth of the matter. I have spoken to the doctors treating him. Asked whether Tirthahalli is emerging as a terror hub as Sharik and other suspects linked to UAPA cases are from the area, he said, “Tirthahalli is a civilized taluk. It has given birth to well-known litterateurs and politicians. There are only a few youths who are introduced to the fanatics of Kerala and the coastal districts, who indulge in such antics.”
He said that if the cooker had burst completely, it would have had a huge impact. The accused had procured locally available material to prepare the bomb. He said that the Home Department is fully prepared to deal with forces working against the unity and integrity of the country by indulging in violence.
Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood Said that the police is probing from every angle. The investigation team has collected Shariq’s phone, computer and other technical material.
Asked whether it was an attempt to project it as an act of Hindu terror as the accused had allegedly used a picture of the Adiyogi Shiva statue as a status on a messaging app and at the time of the attack allegedly was formally dressed in a saffron shawl, Director General of police Said the blasts were aimed at creating discord between communities, destabilizing the country and disrupting harmony in society by instilling fear among people.
DGP Sood said that it is logical to assume that Shariq was getting radicalized since 2019 itself. The first manifestation of that radicalism was when he wrote on the walls of Mangaluru city and at that time he was rightfully booked under UAPA. He was on our radar and somewhere he changed his identity and it happened that even the family members did not suspect.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the police have launched the operation at eight places in Bengaluru, Mysore, Shivamogga and Mangaluru. Four people have been detained so far as part of the investigation.