Karnataka police unearth blast plan, arrest four

In a major development in the Shivamogga terror case, Karnataka Police have revealed that the youth who stabbed a man in Shivamogga over the Savarkar flex issue allegedly has ISIS links and the accused were conspiring to commit blasts all across the state. During the investigation of this, four accused were arrested. They were identified as Nadeem (25), Abdul Rehman (25), Tanveer and Jabiullah.

Shivamogga SP Dr. BM Lakshmi Prasad addressed the media revealing that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was invoked in this matter. It was found that Sharique was responsible for the radicalisation of Jabi (main accused in the stabbing) and Sharique's accomplices were Maaz and Yasin.

The police have said that all the arrested accused had an intention to declare war against non-believers.

In pursuance of this, they secured material to build a bomb. They had a PDF from ISIS with step-by-step instructions on how to build a bomb. They carried out an experimental blast near Gurupura in Shivamogga outskirts.

After that blast, they collected more material and were in search of additional material when the police were able to crack the case. The police have arrested two people, Yasin and Maaz, and the police were able to carry out raids and search-seizure procedures at 11 locations in Shivamogga and Mangaluru, said Shivamogga SP.

The police added that Maaz and Yasin were studying together, and that, through Maaz, Yasin was introduced to Sharique when they visited Mangaluru. They were also a part of the Telegram channel, which was run officially by ISIS Al-Hayat Media Center.

The police have seized additional material in Shivamogga and on the outskirts of Bengaluru that was planned to carry out another exercise in building a bomb. They had also set the National Flag on fire. The police have recovered a half-burnt National Flag from the spot. The accused, Sharique, is absconding.

What the police have seized

The police have raided over 11 locations and seized sensitive material. The police have also seized 14 mobile phones and a dongle, two laptops, one pen drive and other electronic gadgets. The police have also seized materials such as explosives, relay circuits, wires, bulbs, inflammable material and batteries that are uesd for preparing bombs.

The police have also seized a car which Shariq for a recce. All the accused allegedly supported the Islamic State ideology. During the interrogation, the accused revealed that they got freedom from the British but they still need freedom from those suppressing the nation, police said adding that the accused wanted to build an Islamic State.

The terror module case have come to light when police were probing some past incidents of violence and vandalism. Now, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also joined the probe.

Shivamogga was on the boil earlier this year when Hindutva activist Harsha was hacked to death during the Hijab issue. In August, clashes broke out in the city after some right-wing members put up a poster of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, which some Muslims had opposed.