BENGALURU: A 28-year-old air-conditioning mechanic was arrested on the outskirts of Doddaballapur by the local police on charges of establishing contact with Pakistan-based gangsters with terror links.
The suspect, S Syed Abubakar, a resident of Islampura, was allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based gangsters and an international criminal network for the last two years. He had undergone training in Kerala and Delhi and was teaching at a mosque, the investigators said. After being informed by a central investigation agency, the Doddaballapur Town police arrested him on Thursday.
He has an Instagram account under the name sayedabudakar313, and liked reels of Pakistan gangsters shared by Hammadmemon333. He uploaded videos of gangsters as status on Instagram and also shared his details with Hammadmemon333, officials said. The police found photos of pistols on his mobile phone.
Several mobile phones, SIM cards and suspicious documents were seized from him. He was allegedly planning to use a local network for illegal activities or to facilitate financial transactions. Considering the seriousness of the case, senior police officials and sleuths from central investigative agencies subjected him to detailed questioning. The investigation is on to identify those who might have assisted him in Karnataka or elsewhere in the country.
A case under the Terrorist Act (BNS 113(3)) and Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration (BNS 197(2)) has been registered against him.