The Karnataka government on Thursday officially recommended handing over the investigation into the Mangaluru cooker blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
A letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, said that based on the investigation carried out so far, including the examination of materials recovered from the scene of occurrence and other evidence collected, Sections 16, 38, and 39 of the UAPA have been invoked.
“As this is a scheduled offence under Section 6 of the NIA Act, 2008, the matter is being submitted for further necessary actions,” the letter said. Besides the UAPA, provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and Indian Penal Code have been invoked in the case registered by Kankanady Town police, Mangaluru.
The low-intensity blast in an autorickshaw that injured two people in Mangaluru on November 19 has been declared by the police “not accidental but an act of terror intended to cause serious damage”. The suspect in the incident was identified as Mohammed Shariq, who was travelling under a fake identity.
Claims of ‘ICR’
Meanwhile, the State police stepped up the probe to check on an outfit, Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), which has claimed responsibility for the blast, saying one of its “Mujahid brother Mohammed Shariq” attempted to attack a “Hindu temple in Kadri”.
The police sources said they are verifying the origin of this one-page letter and have sought the help of cybercrime officials to track down the source of the letter.
