Home Minister Araga Jnanendra extended financial assistance to the victim's family, and opined that an NIA unit in Mangaluru was necessary.
Published Nov 23, 2022 | 9:37 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 24, 2022 | 2:22 AM
Karnataka Home Minister Jnanendra Araga visits the Mangalauru blast victim on Wednesday, 23 November, 2022. (Supplied)
The Karnataka State Police submitted a report on the Mangaluru blast to National Investigation Agency (NIA) through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the evening of Tuesday, 22 November, even as the auto-rickshaw driver injured in the blast received a helping hand.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Director General of Police Praveen Sood visited the blast site and took stock of the situation in Mangaluru on Wednesday.
The minister chaired a high-level meeting with the top cops on the Mangaluru blast, which was reported on 20 November.
Sood said that the state government would formally hand over the Mangaluru blast case to the NIA at the earliest.
“The case will be handed over to the NIA as it has interstate connections. Whenever the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is invoked in any case, an immediate report is sent to the NIA,” he noted.
“A report on the Mangaluru blast has been sent to the NIA. It goes through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The NIA will take this case forward at an appropriate time,” said Sood.
“I will also clarify that the NIA and other central investigative agencies have been involved in probing this case from the beginning,” said the DGP, adding that the state police are jointly investigating it with the Central agencies.
Commenting on the ongoing investigation, Sood said, “There are financial transactions. We are working on unearthing the sources of finance to the accused Shariq as he was financially not stable but used to frequently travel to various cities of South India.”
He added: “As a part of the investigation, searches were also conducted in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Kochi in Kerala. Similar searches are also being conducted across Karnataka. Multiple investigative agencies are simultaneously investigating the case.”
He also clarified: “The main intention behind this crime was to bring threat to the peace and harmony between Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.”
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra also enquired about the health of the injured autorickshaw driver K Purushottama Pujari, who sustained severe burns in the blast, and handed over a cheque of ₹50,000 as assistance to his family.
Karnataka's Home Minister @JnanendraAraga hands over a cheque of Rs 50,000 as assistance to family of victim in #MangaluruBlast case. Auto driver Purushottam Poojari is still under treatment. pic.twitter.com/Df45qD40nc
— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) November 23, 2022
After visiting the blast site, Jnanendra said, “The police department will take necessary steps to curb the terrorist activities in the state. The investigative teams have intensified their probe into the blast case. The police are collecting all the evidence to ensure that the culprit is punished.”
Claiming that terrorist activities have gone down in Karnataka, the home minister said, “The Union and state governments’ stringent action against anti-national activities have brought down the terrorist activities.”
He added: “The police had kept an eye on accused Mohammed Shariq, 24, after his involvement was established in the 2020 Mangaluru graffiti case and the explosion of a low-intensity bomb at Shivamogga. Shariq used to work at a shop in Thirthahalli but he disappeared from the town one day.”
The minister also noted: “He used to roam around disguised as a Hindu. The police could not trace him as he was not using a mobile phone. He also travelled to Coimbatore, Nagercoil, and Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu and Kochi in Kerala. The police are visiting these places and collecting evidence.”
With regard to the main accused hailing from Thirthahalli, which is the home minister’s Assembly constituency, he said, “Thirthahalli is a well-cultured taluka. This town has given some of the best writers, poets, and political leaders to the state. A section of youths has been radicalised by the extremist organisations and also by coming in contact with the communally motivated groups in coastal region and Kerala.”
In answer to a question, Home Minister opined, “There is a necessity to set up a unit of the NIA in Mangaluru.”
Stressing the need for a united fight from all the south Indian states, Bommai said, “There is a necessity to put up a concentrated effort to tackle terrorist activities. When I was the home minister under former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, I communicated with the police heads of South Indian states and pointed out the loopholes in fighting against anti-national activities.”
He added: “Our interstate borders are fragile. We need to tighten interstate borders to prevent the easy movement of culprits involved in unlawful activities. All the states need to be coordinated and united with a strong intelligence to curb the anti-national activities in the region.”
He also said: “I will also convey the same through a letter to all the chief ministers of South Indian states in coming days.”
