Mangaluru blast suspect did not use phone, used other means of communication: Jnanendra

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that auto blast suspect Mohammed Shariq did not use a phone and used other means of communication to speak with his associates.

He used a Hindu name and identity when he travelled and he repeatedly changed where he was staying. Tracing him was difficult in spite of police keeping tabs on his movements after the High Court released him on bail in connection with a graffiti case reported in Mangaluru in 2020, the minister said.

After Shariq was released on bail, he worked At a shop in Thirthahalli. And then, he suddenly went missing. Shariq had purportedly visited Coimbatore, Mysuru, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Nagercoil and Kochi. The police are collecting evidence about his background, funding and forces that were supporting him, Jnanendra said. "We are collecting enough evidence to get him convicted," the minister said. "The FSL team has also collected evidence to be produced to the court from the site."

A team of eight doctors are monitoring and treating Shariq. "We want him to get well soon so that the police can extract more information from him related to the incident," said Jnanendra. "Once he is interrogated, we will be able to go deeper into his activities. I have spoken to the doctors treating him."

Government to bear medical expenses

The minister, who personally paid Rs 50,000 to the family of injured auto driver Purushotham K, said that the medical expenses for the treatment of the auto driver would be borne by the state government. Financial assistance for the family provided by the government is under consideration and Jnanendra said he would speak to the chief minister about it.

The minister said the blast would have had a huge impact if the cooker had burst completely. Local materials were used in making the bombs, he said. The Home Department is prepared to tackle forces who are working against the unity and integrity of the country by engaging in violence, the minister said.

To a question about Thirthahalli becoming a hotspot for terror, the minister said, "The place has given birth to well-known littérateurs and politicians. It is only a few youths who got introduced to bigots from Kerala and coastal districts and are engaged in such acts."

DGP Praveen Sood said that the police were investigating the case from all angles. "His phone, computer and other technical materials have been collected by the investigating team," he said.

To a question about the use of the Adiyogi Shiva statue in the status of suspect Shariq, the DGP said the blasts were aimed at creating discord among communities, destabilising the country and disrupting harmony in society by creating fear among the people.

As a part of the investigation, the police have questioned several people. Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar said that the police had carried out operations in eight locations in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Mangaluru after the incident. As a part of the investigation, four people have been detained but no arrests have been made so far.