Auto Rickshaw Blast In Mangalore: Karnataka Police Look Into Recovered Explosives, Fake IDs & Possible Terror Links

Mangalore witnessed an explosion from a moving auto-rickshaw on November 19, critically injuring two people. Initially, after the explosion, the police held back from drawing conclusions on a possible 'blast' or 'terror activity.' However, by the morning of November 20, the case took unexpected turns and had the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Praveen Sood confirm that it was not a mere accident but a planned terror activity.

After the blast, both driver and passenger were admitted with severe burn injuries, and the officials later questioned the driver. Unaware of the terror plot, the driver informed the police that his passenger was carrying something in his bag which suddenly caught fire and led to the explosion of the vehicle.

Based on his statement and the preliminary investigations, the police deduced that the suspect intended to plant the improvised explosive device (IED) in a different location in Mangalore city, but the explosive went off inside the auto, injuring him and the driver in the process. A further probe is initiated into the blast and the suspect, which has drawn links to potential terrorist activity in the city.

Pressure Cooker Devised As A Ticking Bomb

The moving auto rickshaw explosion in Mangalore caused a massive fire along with chaos in the city regarding possible terror activities. The driver and passenger sustained burn injuries and were shifted to a hospital. A bomb disposal squad and dog squad were rushed to the site immediately after the news to secure the location. Following the drill, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officers and a high-level forensic team were deployed for spot investigation. Under initial investigations, they found a circuit and timer devised inside a pressure cooker.

Soon after the IED was recovered, the DGP confirmed via a tweet that "The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies." Karnataka Police have gone on high alert following the incident and heightened security at airports, railway stations, and tourist destinations, among other places. They are currently probing into the passenger, who was found carrying fake identity proof.

It's confirmed now. The blast is not accidental but an ACT OF TERROR with intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies. https://t.co/lmalCyq5F3

— DGP KARNATAKA (@DgpKarnataka) November 20, 2022

Revelations About Main Suspect

The passenger in the auto, identified as Mohammed Shariq (24), instantly became the main suspect. He was previously booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a terror graffiti case in Mangalore in 2020 and was allegedly absconding.

Travelling with the pressure cooker IED under the fake identity of Prem Raj, he was hoping to place it at a different location in the city before it went off on its own, injuring him and the driver Purushottam. The suspect is now under medical supervision and will be investigated soon after he regains consciousness. Police are hopeful that investigating him would open up the case further into cracking a wider terror network.

As per the recent updates reported by India Today, the Forensic Science Laboratory Division (FSL) team raided Shariq's rented house and recovered materials that were used to make the explosives. These included materials such as gelatin powder, circuit board, small bolts, batteries, mobile, wood power, aluminium multi metres, wires, cooking appliances and so on. They also recovered a bunch of fake identity cards, including Aadhaar and PAN cards, a mobile phone, and a debit card.

Possible Links To Coimbatore Blast

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the suspect had terror links as he had travelled to places, including Coimbatore, where earlier a blast was reported due to an LPG cylinder explosion inside a car. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials have joined forces with the state police to investigate the matter. They are actively exploring the possibilities of connected terror activity.

Speaking about the incident, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra commented, "The information we received shows that there is a deep conspiracy behind the incident. It is visible that the perpetrators had a link with the terrorist organization." Meanwhile, Karnataka ADGP Alok Kumar has stated that the link to the Coimbatore blast cannot be established at this point.

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