Two injured after autorickshaw blast in Karnataka’s Mangaluru, NIA expected to take up the investigation
Mangaluru blast: The Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Sood, confirmed that the blast inside the autorickshaw in Mangaluru was ‘an act of terror‘ saying that the intention behind it was to cause serious damage. He also said that Karnataka police are probing the matter along with central agencies.
On Saturday, a cooker exploded in an autorickshaw injuring the driver and a passenger sitting inside the vehicle. The rickshaw driver was ruled out of having any role in the low-intensity IED blast carried out using a pressure cooker. It is suspected that a light explosive device had been used for the explosion.
Two persons including the driver of an autorickshaw sustained injuries after a fire was reported in a moving autorickshaw near Nagori in Kankanady Town police station limits.
A team of top officials from the city police visited the spot and launched the probe.
City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar who is leading the investigation visited the hospital, where the injured are being treated. Sources said that the passenger kept changing his statements.
Soon after the incident, ADGP (law and order) Alok Kumar, referring to the incident, suspected it to be a low-intensity blast. He said, “The FSL team based on their examination, will be able to conclude if it is a blast or something else. For now, we suspect that it is a low-intensity blast. Two people have sustained burn injuries. The driver is from Mangaluru. The identity of the passenger is yet to be ascertained.”
Tension prevailed in the communally-sensitive city on Saturday following the mysterious explosion in the moving auto. Initially, the police were probing whether it was a case of a fire mishap or blast.
However, on further investigation, sleuths of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) found suspicious articles such as two batteries, nuts, bolts, and substance with circuit wiring from the incident spot.
The state home department has considered the incident seriously as it had taken place on the day the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai visited the city. With the police identifying it as an act of terror, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is also expected to visit the place and take up an investigation.
With the passenger of the auto, identified as Premraj Kanogi, giving contradictory statements to the police, his role is also under the scanner.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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