NIA to take Mangaluru blast accused into custody

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to take Mangaluru cooker blast accused Mohammed Shariq into custody following his recovery, sources privy to the case said.

Shariq, who was undergoing treatment in the Victoria Hospital here for burn injuries, is learnt to have recovered from the injuries.

Following his recovery, the NIA has decided to take him into custody for questioning, the sources said.

Shariq was injured when the cooker bomb he was allegedly holding while travelling in an autorickshaw on November 19 in Mangaluru exploded. Along with him, the auto-rickshaw driver too was wounded.

The accused had sustained 40 per cent burn injuries. As his survival was necessary to probe the matter, he was shifted to the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru for further treatment.

Shariq, a native of Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district, was allegedly inspired by the terror outfit Islamic State and was planning to set up a similar IS base in Shivamogga town.

The alleged IS-inspired terror module was busted last year when a group went on a rampage and after vandalising some public properties, one of its member stabbed a man.

Those arrested later revealed their plans and also confessed that they had carried out an experimental blast on the banks of Tunga river.

While many people were arrested, Shariq gave the police and security agencies a slip and emerged only on November 19.