Mangaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has stepped up its probe into the pressure cooker bomb explosion in an autorickshaw in Karnataka's Mangaluru city last month. The central agency has questioned prime accused Mohammed Shariq after his health condition has considerably improved.
Shariq had suffered 45 per cent burns in the blast, while the autorickshaw driver, who was also injured, is recovering at the hospital. A team of NIA officials grilled Shariq for a long period to gather sensitive information on the terrorist activities planned by outfits in southern India, police said.
The NIA authorities, who had earlier recorded his statement, are now eliciting information with the aim of reaching to the root of the terror network and their activities. A little-known terrorist outfit, Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), had claimed responsibility for the blast. They have also issued threats against state ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar and warned of another attack.
Shariq, 24, who is from Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district, was carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) in a cooker in an autorickshaw when it exploded on the outskirts of Mangaluru on November 19.
The police and NIA officials have claimed that the interrogation of terror suspect Shariq is crucial for the investigation. The authorities are now focused on getting into breaking the nexus and the support system for terror activities. The agency is also looking for international links. The unknown terror outfit had claimed responsibility for the blast, threatened ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar. The outfit had also warned of another attack in its post on darknet. Further investigation is on.
