Islamic Resistance Council Claims Responsibility for Mangaluru Blast

Bengaluru: Days after the Mangaluru explosion, a little-known outfit Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the autorickshaw blast. It said one of its ‘Mujahid brother Mohammed Shariq’ attempted to attack a ‘Hindutva Temple in Kadri’. 

On November 19, Mohammed Shariq was commuting in an autorickshaw with a cooker in Mangalauru. The cooker exploded which left him and the autorickshaw driver identified as Purshottam Poojary injured. The Karnataka DGP had termed the blast an act of terror. 

“We the Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) would like to convey the message: One of our Mujahid brother Mohammed Shariq attempted to attack the Hindutva Temple in Kadri (in Dakshina Kannada district), a bastion of the Saffron terrorists in Mangaluru,” the message said.

Karnataka police said they are verifying the origin of this information pertaining to the Mangaluru blast. 

Karnataka government on Thursday handed over the Mangaluru bomb blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) owing to its inter-state connections and the invocation of the UAPA.

"Based on the investigation carried out so far, including the examination of materials recovered from the scene of occurrence and other evidence collected, sections 16, 38 and 39 of UAPA have been invoked. Additional Home Secretary (Law and Order) GS Prasanna Kumar wrote a letter addressed to the Union Additional Home Chief Secretary.

“As this is a scheduled offence under section 6 of NIA Act, 2008, the matter is being submitted for further necessary action,” Kumar wrote in his letter. 

Meanwhile, NIA has filed an FIR in connection with a terror conspiracy initially registered by the Shivamogga police. In September, an FIR naming Mohammed Shariq and two others was registered, alleging their involvement in carrying out an experimental bomb blast in Shivamogga.

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(With inputs from agencies)