A low-intensity blast triggered in a moving autorickshaw in Nagori, within the Kankanady Police Station limits, on Saturday was declared an 'act of terror' not 'accidental' by the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Praveen Sood.
Sood tweeted on Sunday using his official handle that the blast triggered was intended to cause serious damage. "The Karnataka Police are probing deep along with central agencies," he tweeted hinting that NIA was also being involved.
A team of explosive experts from Bengaluru reached Mangaluru to assist the ongoing investigation.
Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Sashikumar did not respond to calls or to messages from DH.
Autorickshaw driver Premraj from Gorigudde told the police that thick smoke was first noticed in the bag of a male passenger who he had picked up from Nagori near Mangaluru railway junction on Saturday evening.
Both the autorickshaw driver and passenger were hospitalised with minor injuries. As the autorickshaw had an LPG kit, the Forensic Science Laboratory team collected samples and are investigating the cause of fire. A case was registered in Kankanady Police station and the passenger has been detained to unearth more information about his whereabouts.
The passenger recuperating in a hospital was conversing in Hindi with the auto driver, police sources told DH.
Published 20 November 2022, 02:22 IST