BENGALURU: Even as the probe into Saturday’s autorickshaw blast in Mangaluru awaits prime suspect Mohammed Shariq’s recovery, there are several questions that need to be answered by him for a thorough investigation.
The cooker blast in the autorickshaw injured Shariq and the driver Purushottam Poojary.
The police have seized a lot of explosive material from Shariq’s rented house in Mysuru. What is still unclear is why did Shariq travel to Mangaluru to carry out the blast? Who was his target? Was he alone or
were there other accomplices? Who are they? The investigation so far has revealed that Shariq was travelling from Mysuru to Mangaluru, when he got off at Padil, which is 9km from Mangaluru city. He later hired an autorickshaw to continue with his journey.
Why did he get off at Padil? Was he following someone’s instructions? According to informed sources, the suspicion is on two youths from Shariq’s native Thirthahalli in Shivamogga, who may either be his accomplice or may have known about the terror plot. Shariq, who went absconding, was red-flagged in September this year by the Shivamogga police after they arrested two youths - Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Syed Yasin for conducting a blast and burning
the National Flag on the banks of the Tunga river.
The investigation in the case largely rests on Shariq’s interrogation. He continues to be in the ICU and is not in a condition to give any statement to the police as yet.