NIA set to formally take over Mangaluru blast case

The Mangaluru autorickshaw blast case would be formally handed over to the National Investigation Agency NIA soon Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood said on WednesdayHe said the objective of the prime accused Mohammed Shariq was to create a divide between communitiesWhat else was the objective His aim was to create differences between two communities there is no doubt Differences between communities be it Hindu Muslim or Christian grow when there is a blast It means destabilising the country He definitely intended to disturb communal harmony and unity the DGP saidKarnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra visited the blast site near here along with Sood and also the hospital where Shariq and autodriver Purushottam Poojary were being treatedJnanedra said Shariq had visited different places like Coimbatore and Kanyakumari and an investigation has been on Several police teams have been formed and been sent to different places as part of the probeSood said the NIA and other central agencies have been working with the Karnataka police from dayone of the blast adding that the case would be formally handed over to NIAWith demand growing for an NIA office in Mangaluru Jnanendra said the State government has brought this to the notice of the Centre and expressed confidence there would be set an office in this coastal townThe Minister said the police were working to find the background of the accused in the November 19 blast at Nagori here his financiers and the forces which are compelling him to repeatedly do such actsAlso Read Mangaluru autorickshaw blast case to be formally handed over to NIA soon DGPJnanendra said Shariq had planned a major blast but the bomb exploded midway and did not go off the way it was plannedIf the entire cooker carried by Shariq in the autorickshaw had exploded then it would have led to major damage He Shariq had managed to create a bomb using materials available locally said the Home MinisterHe said the Home Department has resolved to completely eradicate the fanatical forces which want bloodbath and kill people and try to disturb the unity and integrity of the countryiquestOur department has not taken this case lightly An indepth study and inquiry will take place We will expose the forces behind the caseiquest the Minister vowedJnanendra said Shariq was travelling as a Hindu and carrying a Hindu photo identity card with him so that no one could suspect him Further he used to frequently change his address and that it became difficult to trace himThe Minister said Shariq was arrested in an objectionable graffiti case in Mangaluru showing his support to the Islamic State and the LashkareToiba but the High Court granted him bail after he spent seven to eight months in jailAfter coming out he worked in a shop at Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district He was under watch till then but he disappeared all of a sudden Jnanendra saidAccording to him those involved in this case used different modes of communicationThese people terror accused do not use telephone This is the latest development They are using different mechanisms for communication he pointed outSood said the details of the investigation against the financiers and organisations cannot be revealed nowThe survival of the accused is important for we have to interrogate him We have got many technical materials such as phones and computers We have to confront him with that Sood explainedSood requested the media to not portray people brought for interrogation as accusedCiting the example of Prem Raj whose Aadhaar card Shariq had used Sood said he has an important role in the investigation as he is the main witnessAlso the police would call Mohan Kumar who had rented his house in Mysuru to Shariq and also question some people from CoimbatoreWe are calling them for their help not to arrest them You are showing them as accused Please dont said the DGP saidThe blast in the moving autorickshaw left Shariq and its driver with burns The two were being treated in the private hospitalWhile efforts were on to gather material to ensure Shariqs conviction the government was trying to ensure his recovery Jnanendra saidStating that a team of eight doctors was treating the driver and Shariq Jnanendra said he expected that the blast accused would be able to speak soon iquestHe has to recover completely only then can we get information Today we spoke to the doctors and told them to ensure that he recovers Once he speaks we will gather most of the info to continue our investigationiquest the Home Minister saidHe further said the government was bearing the treatment cost of the driver and also mulling over providing financial assistance to his familyJnanendra said he would speak to the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai regarding this once he reaches BengaluruThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday 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