Terror group planning to eliminate Shariq in hospital? Security tightened

MANGALURU: The city police suspect that terror groups may be planning to kill Shariq in hospital. They also reason to believe that terrorists had planned to carry out a blast near the Sri Krishna Mutt  in Udupi.

An unheard of group, calling itself the Islamic Resistance Council, had recently claimed responsibility for the cooker blast in Mangaluru, which occurred in an autorickshaw, and had said that a temple in Kadri was the intended target.

Mangaluru police suspect that terror groups are planning to kill Shariq in hospital.

In a poster that was released under the name of the IRC, threats were issued to police officials, including ADGP (law and order) Alok Kumar. This has also alerted the police. The police have suspected that the terror group is planning to kill Shariq by activating handlers and sleeper cells. They have also planned to carry out a bomb blast in the city, the police suspect.

Shariq is being treated at a private hospital in the city and the police have tightened security around it. Police officials have been deployed near Shariq’s room in the hospital and metal detectors have also been installed outside. Shariq is slowly recovering and doctors have taken him off the ventilator. He is suffering from a chest infection and has not agreed to talk to doctors.

The Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt may also have been on the terror target.

In CCTV footage, Shariq can be seen walking in the Udupi temple car street (ratha beedi) and at the bus stand with another person. This has led them to believe that he may have recceed the place to carry out a blast near the Udupi Shree Krishna Mutt. A team of the Mangaluru police, which had been to Udupi as part of the investigation, has returned with some important documents related to the case.