SHIVAMOGGA: Mohammed Shariq, the prime suspect in the Mangaluru cooker bomb blast case, is also an accused registered in a case in Shivamogga under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. Shariq used to send videos and documents related to making bombs to two of his associates who were also members of ISIS’ official media centre Al-Hayat in Telegram, according to an investigation that the Shivamogga police conducted in September.
The police, who launched an investigation into the stabbing of one Prem Singh during Independence Day celebrations in Shivamogga, had arrested four people, including the main accused Zabiulla and invoked UAPA. The police found the role of Shariq in the stabbing incident by way of radicalising Zabiulla. During the course of the investigation, the police also found that Shariq had two associates, Maaz Muneer and Sayed Yaseen. Shariq and Maaz were involved in the 2020 Mangaluru graffiti case.
The Doddapete police, that probed the stabbing incident, found that a conspiracy was hatched to further the terror activities of ISIS and to disturb the unity, security and sovereignty of the country. They also found that the accused unlawfully possessed explosives endangering public property and life. They also burnt the National Flag. A separate case was registered in Shivamogga rural police station in this regard on September 19.
While Shariq was the main accused, Maaz and Yaseen were the second and third accused respectively. The police found that whenever Yaseen would meet Maaz and Shariq, they would allegedly discuss fundamental ideas and concepts of Jihad, the police said.
Shariq allegedly used to send PDF files, video and audio and links related to extremism, radicalisation, works of ISIS and other terror organisations etc. through messenger apps like Telegram, Signal, Instagram, Wire, Element, etc to Yasin.
After learning about the concept of making bombs in PDF files and videos shared by Shariq, the other two accused had allegedly purchased the timer relay circuits required for making bombs through an e-commerce site and batteries, switches, wires, matchboxes and other explosive material in Shivamogga. The accused had experimentally exploded the bomb made by them at a place locally known as Kemmangundi on the banks of the Tunga river in Shivamogga and the experimental blast was successful. They had also stored explosives, the police investigation found.
In the days following Independence Day, the National Flag was burnt near the spot where the bomb was tested and it was video graphed on their mobile phones. Shariq had allegedly sent the money needed to make the bomb to Yasin through cryptocurrency, the police had found. While Shariq is now hospitalised, Maaz and Yaseen are under judicial custody.