MANGALURU: Days after an explosion in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru, Police Commissioner N Shashikumar on Tuesday advised people to not share any unverified information after a video surfaced on social media in which two men can be seen near a liquor store with a bag.
The Police Commissioner said that the video circulating on social media is not connected with the case. “Police have come across a random, unverified video, where two men appear near a wine shop. It’s circulating on social media, but it is not a video in connection with the case. I appeal not to share any unverified information. The suspect’s treatment is under way”, the Mangaluru police commissioner said.
Auto driver Purushotham, and the prime accused, identified as 24-year-old Mohammed Shariq, were on fire when shopkeepers and local residents rushed to their rescue soon after the blast.
On November 20, police identified the bomber as Thirthahalli-based Mohammed Shariq, a terror accused charged with links to the Islamic State (IS), who is on the run since September 2022. The bomber had suffered nearly 40 per cent burns in the explosion.
“The victim’s condition is improving. The suspect, on the first day, tried to forge his identity, he tried to show himself as a man from Hubballi. The investigation is under way,” Shashikumar added.
Meanwhile, police have been deployed outside Father Muller Medical College and Hospital, where the suspect in the autorickshaw explosion case is currently under medical treatment.
The blast occurred in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru city on November 19, injuring its driver and a passenger. The autorickshaw caught fire after the blast, and the driver and the passenger sustained burn injuries. The police said that the explosion was not just an accident, but an “act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage”.
A day after the explosion in Mangaluru, Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood said the ‘mysterious blast’ was an act of terror and a “deep probe” into the incident is under way.
On Monday, ADGP Alok Kumar said that the accused Shariq has been earlier involved in cases under UAPA and was on the run. The senior police officer further said that the accused had links with a terrorist organisation which is having a global presence.
Meanwhile, the case is likely to be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), sources said. Sources in the agencies and the central government told ANI that “discussion is going on high level, and there is a possibility that the case may be handed over to the NIA”. (ANI)