A ‘live’ bomb was found, in an unattended black bag, at the Mangalore International Airport, on Monday. On being alerted, the bomb detection and disposal squad along with the local police sprung into action. The authorities took the explosive device to an isolated location, cordoned off the area, and ‘neutralised’ the low intensity improvised explosive devise (IED).

Mangaluru Police Commissioner, PS Harsha, rubbished the allegations of a possible security lapse, went on to inform that the team had rushed to action and the bomb was found within 15 minutes of the person placing it at the corner and was neutralised according to the safety protocols.

Later, the Mangaluru Police released CCTV footage of a suspect arriving in an autorickshaw and placing the bag near the exit.

#MangaluruBombAccusedAdithyaRao brought to city after medical check-uphttps://t.co/raPDYZeQbV

— Financial Express (@FinancialXpress) January 23, 2020

Two days after the airport scare, the accused surrendered before the Bengaluru police.

35-year-old, Aditya Rao, who is a mechanical engineer is also an MBA graduate and hails from Manipal. Rao claimed that he placed the bomb at the airport as he was upset over not getting a job at the airport in Bengaluru. He was detained for interrogation and medical tests.

Earlier, he was also put behind the bars for making a series of hoax bomb calls to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.

Claims:

Pictures of a man in RSS uniform purporting to be of Rao, questioning his link to the Sangh, started making rounds in social media.

Terrorist Aditya Rao who got caught when planting bomb in Mangalore airport is a RSS member! We have been saying this for years….RSS was a terrorist organization.RSS is a terrorist organization.RSS will remain a terrorist organization. pic.twitter.com/ITPk3eh8UT

— Just a common man (@EmpoweringGoa) January 23, 2020

ಏರ್ಪೋರ್ಟಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾಂಬಿಟ್ಟ ಆದಿತ್ಯ ರಾವ್ ಪ್ರಭಾಕರ ಭಟ್ಟರ ಜೊತೆ ಆರೆಸ್ಸೆಸ್ ಶಿಬಿರದಲ್ಲಿ…The terrorist accused of planting Bomb in Mangalore airport can be seen in #RSS uniform with leader @suvarnanewstv @tv9kannada @btvnewslive @publictvnews @ndtv @repul #KaagazNaheeDikhayenge @ABPNews pic.twitter.com/crV1gNcDOG

— Mohammad Tanveer (@tannukaup) January 22, 2020

A former Social Media Head of Indian National Congress, Karnataka, also jumped on the occasion to slam the RSS in a series of tweets and compare Rao with Pragya Thakur.

Today’s Aditya Rao is Tomorrow’s Pragya Thakur#Aditya4Parliament2024

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 22, 2020

Media & Sanghis Yesterday🔸Jihadis behind Mangaluru Bomb🔸Is this revenge for CAA?🔸ISIS Terrorists involved?Media & Sanghis Today🔸Aditya Rao is mentally unstable🔸Unemployment forced him to plant a bomb🔸No links to RSSMedia & Sanghis = Greatest Hypocrites

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 22, 2020

Prem Panicker, an eminent sports journalist, however, was quick to take down his tweet based on unverified information.

Sorry all, took down that RT of a pic linking Aditya Rao with the RSS. Will wait for confirmation. Apologies.

— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) January 22, 2020

Fact-Check:

After investigating, it was found that the man in the picture in RSS uniform is not Aditya Rao. The picture is of Sandeep Lobo who hails from Puttur, Karnataka.

Lobo, in a Facebook post, said that he has decided to take legal action against those who are referring to him as the accused in Mangaluru bomb case.

Later, he even posted pictures of him filing a police complaint against those who were defaming him.

Several Twitterati also tweeted clarifying the false accusations on Lobo.

The man standing next to @Tejasvi_Surya is Sandeep lobo & not some bomb planter named adithya rao. He has filed a complaint against those spreading fake news.His FB profile: https://t.co/3JY03N2YZM#FakeNews pic.twitter.com/4azOf0JBzP

— Durgesh Singh (@DurgeshSingh995) January 22, 2020

Yes this fake news. He is Sandeep lobo not Aditya who owned up for that bomb scare. He is from my home town Puttur and he is a BJP workerNot sure if he is in Twitter but he is aware of this and have filed complaint with Police regarding this false news.

— Nithin Pai B (@nithinpaib) January 22, 2020

This is Sandeep Lobo.Miscreants are using his pic as bomber Aditya Rao, with RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat to spread fake news to defame RSS .He has warned the miscreants & asked to delete the fake news immediately pic.twitter.com/B7mj8KqJ5i

— Lilly लिल्ली ಲಿಲ್ಲಿ 🇮🇳 (@LillyMaryPinto) January 22, 2020

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