On Sunday 20th November 2022, the Karnataka police identified the suspect in the Mangaluru blast case. The name of the suspect is Mohammed Shariq and he has been previously arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A blast took place in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru on Saturday, 19th November 2022, in which Shariq has now been identified as the main suspect.
The explosion in the moving autorickshaw in Mangaluru resulted in flames and copious smoke. Burn injuries were suffered by the autorickshaw driver and the passenger who was carrying a pressure cooker with him that exploded. The passenger has now been identified as Mohammed Shariq. He is currently receiving treatment in a local hospital after being injured in the explosion.
Mangaluru blast case gets murkier.
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It is notable that Mohammed Shariq had earlier been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for graffiti on the walls in Mangaluru. He was granted bail in the case. In addition, the police were searching for him in another terror case as well.
In September, two persons Maaz Muneer Ahmad (22) of Mangaluru and Syed Yasin (21)were arrested for their alleged links to the banned terrorist organisation Islamic State. In the same case, Mohammad Shariq was a suspect and he was on the run from the police.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, two senior officials who are investigating the case said, “The name of the bomber in the Mangaluru blast case is Shariq. He is one of the three men who is wanted for his links to the Islamic State and executed trial bomb blasts on the bank of Tunga River earlier this year.”
The explosive device was inside a pressure cooker
Mohammed Shariq was carrying a pressure cooker, and police found that there was an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cooker which exploded. He was also carrying a stolen Aadhar card of a 24-year-old Hindu person named Premraj, who is a resident of Hubballi. As per a News18 report, police sources said that the suspect was already on the radar of the police. The suspect was reportedly planning a similar attack two months ago in Shivamogga, however, could not succeed as the plan was busted by the police.
The owner of the house where the suspect rented a room has also confirmed his identity, according to intelligence agencies. M Mohan Kumar, the house owner from Mysuru, stated that the suspect was paying Rs 1,800 per month for a single room. Kumar produced a copy of the rental agreement, which listed the suspect’s name as Premraj, S/o Sri Maruthi, with a Hubballi address.
Explosives, circuit boards, sulphuric acid, other chemicals, small bolts, batteries, mobile displays, wooden powder, aluminum foil, multimeter, wires, mixer jars, pressure cookers and whistles, and other items were discovered in the room by intelligence agencies. A mobile phone, two fake Aadhaar cards, one PAN card, one debit card, an unused SIM card, and a notebook with circuit drawings have also been recovered.
