Family Of Mangaluru Blast Accused Reaches Hospital To Meet Him

The family of the accused in the Mangaluru autorickshaw blast today arrived at the hospital where he has been admitted to meet him.

The accused, identified by the police as Sharik, has been admitted to the Father Muller Hospital in Karnataka's Mangaluru after he sustained 40-45 per cent burn injuries due to a fire that broke out in an autorickshaw in the Kankanadi police station area at around 5 pm on Saturday.

The auto driver and the passenger sustained burn injuries and have been admitted to the hospital, the Commissioner of Police (CP) of Mangaluru City N Shashi Kumar said on November 19.

Notably, in a major breakthrough in the Mangaluru autorickshaw blast case on Sunday, Additional Director General of Police Alok Kumar visited the spot and said that the bomb was implanted with an aim to disrupt harmony in the area.

"There was an attempt to disrupt harmony in the area," the senior police official said.

ADGP Kumar also informed that the blast was a low-intensity explosion.

"It was a low-intensity IED explosion. There was an attempt to disrupt harmony in the area, and it was averted. Right now we've no info to suggest this blast related to the Coimbatore blast," he added.

ADGP Kumar was also informed about the condition of the victim and the suspect.

According to the police, the auto driver Purshottam Pujari had sustained 20-25 per cent burn injuries and they have been trying to give him the required medical treatment to help him survive as "he needs to be interrogated".

"As he (Purushottam) can't speak we haven't been able to establish his identity," ADGP Kumar added.

Earlier in the day on November 20, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai indicted the man injured in the blast could have terror links.

"The bomb blast in Mangaluru prima facie looks like an act of terror and the government would crack this case," Bommai said adding that an IED exploded inside a pressure cooker in an auto rickshaw in Mangaluru on Saturday evening.

Bommai said that the man, who was travelling in the auto might have terror links, but more information will come out after the detailed investigation.

"All of you are aware of the blast in Mangaluru yesterday at 4.45 pm. Two including the auto driver and passenger are under treatment. The state police are investigating the matter and as per the primary information, it was because of an IED instrument," Bommai said.

The CM further said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies have already visited the spot and taken up the probe.

"Since the injured are recuperating in hospital, more information will be procured from him. As this individual had visited several places including Coimbatore he may have links with terrorist groups. This information has been shared by police after a preliminary probe. Any links of this blast incident with the banned PFI will be known after a thorough investigation," he said.

Bommai also mentioned that the man was having a duplicate Aadhaar card and that the police are also investigating all the details.

"Police are going through all the details of the person who had a duplicate Aadhaar card in which a Hubli address was also mentioned in it. More information also came out after his real address was investigated. NIA and other teams are here for further investigation. He is under treatment as his leg is injured. After he gains consciousness, more information will come out," CM said.

Meanwhile, DGP Karnataka also said in a tweet on Sunday that the incident was "not accidental" but an "act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage"

It's confirmed now. The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies," tweeted DGP Karnataka.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra also suspected it to be a terror-related incident.

Citing the incident Karnataka Home Minister said that the state police have launched an intensive investigation into the autorickshaw blast incident that took place in Mangalore.

"Along with the state police, central investigation teams will also join hands. The investigation will proceed swiftly," Jnanendra added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)