KALABURAGI: Police have intensified investigation into the link between Hussein Qureshi, who was arrested by Belagavi police a few days ago for suspicious activities, and his associates in Kalaburagi. Qureshi was arrested in connection with videographing sensitive places such as airports, including the Sambra Airport in Belagavi, railway stations and bus stands of important cities. Inspector General of Police (north-east range) Sunil Agarwal told Express that as the case is sensitive, the government had asked him to supervise the investigation jointly carried out by Belagavi and Kalaburagi Police. He denied that the sleuths of National Investigation Agency from New Delhi are in Kalaburagi to question the people detained.
He said police had taken into custody a few more persons, including some members of banned organisations, for questioning. He said more details could not be shared as it was confidential. The Belagavi police will brief the press officially as the case is registered at Belagavi, he said. Police sources told Express that Belagavi police brought Qureshi to Kalaburagi to trace his links with other persons of Kalaburagi city and the nature of his work in the city.
Though police were tightlipped to confirm or deny the arrest of editor of Urdu daily Aijaz Bihari, photographer Javed, and worker Akbar, their family members said they have not returned to the houses for three days now. The office of the daily too has been shut for three days. The people in the locality were hesitant to talk about the persons detained by the police. Hussein Qureshi was a paper distributor of the aily Salamate and he had gone out of the city on November 19, saying he would go outside the city to look for a better job. His family members told Express that he had called them on Saturday and told them that he was brought to Kalaburagi by Belagavi police. But so far, police have not brought him home, the family members said. They said they have contacted advocates in Belagavi and made arrangements to fight the case in Belagavi once Qureshi was referred to judicial custody from police custody. Qureshi has been in police ustody for three days now, family sources said.