On November 19, an auto-rickshaw exploded in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s coastal town, under mysterious circumstances. The Police identified the accused on November 20 and arrested Mohammed Shariq who had been previously arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Days after the incident, Shariq’s maternal aunt on Friday talked to the media to reveal that Shariq chose the path of terrorism to meet 72 hoors who are beautiful virgins in Jannat (heaven).
The aunt said that Shariq used to say that he will meet 72 hoors in Jannat, and that will be his real world, and his entire life revolved around Namaz, Allah etc. She said that Shariq used to torture the females in the house and restrict them from watching television, listening to songs, doing make-up, etc. He also used to prohibit them from talking to Hindu people. “He himself used to watch movies and songs but he never allowed the women in the house to do so. He used to say that Allah is his everything and Jannat is his only heavenly world,” aunt added.
The aunt also added that Shariq used to follow his religion graciously. He used to offer Namaz five times a day and also had started keeping the beard on his face. “But we could not see he had intentions to do these kinds of attacks. He used to say soon I am going to do something which will help me attain Jannat,” she added. She further added that she used to argue with him as he would restrict the women in our family from watching TV or talking to Hindus.
Shariq’s aunt while talking to Dainik Bhasker further condemned the blast and criticized the accused for his involvement. She said that he was a religious and an Islam follower but they never thought he would do something like this. “The incident and Shariq’s involvement in the case have brought shame to us. We still have to survive with everyone in society. We are not even able to show our faces to anyone. Islam doesn’t teach anyone to kill people. It is a crime. I think he has done this under some fanatic influence.”
On asking about the Police action in the case, the aunt said, “The Police showed us the CCTV footage in which he could be seen. The Police could have shot him on the spot. But instead, they saved his life and took him to the hospital.” The aunt on December 2 said that Shariq’s family members knew from the beginning that Shariq and Abdul Mateen, a proclaimed ISIS terrorist, knew each other. “I knew they were with each other but did not know what they were doing. We want the law to take its course in this matter,” she stated adding that people like Shariq are in disrepute to the religion.
Reports mention that Shariq is a resident of Sopugudde, which according to the central agencies is home to five more ISIS terrorists. Shariq’s father passed away three months ago. Since then his cloth shop is being looked after by Shariq’s aunt. “In February 2020, slogans and messages written in support of Lashkar and ISIS were written on the walls of Shivamogga by Shariq and his companions including Maaj Munir. He was arrested and later his father somehow got him out on bail. However, he drastically changed after visiting Udupi and Bangalore. Ever since he returned, he used to talk only about Namaz, Ibadat, and Allah,” the aunt said.
Abdul Mateen, a proclaimed ISIS terrorist, and Shariq knew each other very well. According to the reports, they both stay at a distance of 50 meters. Police claim that Shariq is also close to Arafat Ali, the fugitive terrorist who had planned to execute the blast in Shivamogga in September.
Arafat also lived in Mateen’s neighborhood and the two were good friends. Arafat, Shariq had relations with Maaz Munir and Syed Yasin, who were arrested in Shivamogga. Yasin was associated with ISIS and was arrested for burning the Indian tricolor in Shivamogga whereas Munir had written pro-ISIS slogans on the walls in Shivamogga. Both of them also lived at a distance of 100 meters from Shariq’s house. On the third day after Maaz’s arrest, his father died of a heart attack.
Dainik Bhasker reporter meanwhile also reached ISIS terrorist Abdul Mateen’s residence to meet his family members after the Mangaluru Blast case. Mateen’s father Manjoor Ahmed stated that the police had taken away the mobile phones of the entire family 8 days ago and have not given them back yet. He also said that Mateen had gone to Bangalore to become an engineer and that he is not in contact with them now. After the incident in Mangaluru, the whole family has been imprisoned in the house and the police persons have forbidden them from going out of the house.
The team further inquired about the people staying around Shariq’s home in Sopugadde. One of his neighbors named Afsaan stated that Shariq changed after both his parents died. He also added that due to Shariq and other people like him, the city of Sopugadde has attained a negative identity. “We are no more trusted. People don’t rent us rooms in their hotels when we go out. We are looked upon with suspicion. I am not able to do my business. Earlier I used to supply fruits to five nearby villages, but now even those people have started avoiding us,” he added.
Naushad, who has been running a hardware shop for 10 years right in front of Shariq’s ancestral house, said that all the youths whose names have come up in terrorist incidents have studied here till the 10th or 12th standard. “Later they went to cities like Mangaluru, Udupi, and Banglore for further studies. It is difficult to say with whom he came in contact after going there,” he added.
On Saturday, November 19, an auto-rickshaw exploded in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s coastal town, under mysterious circumstances. It was reported that the passenger in the auto-rickshaw was carrying a pressure cooker, and police found that there was an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cooker which exploded.
The accused 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 report, police sources said that the suspect is from Shivamogga and for the last few months was also 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.
