Mangaluru autorickshaw blast accused recovers

Mangaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the cooker bomb explosion in an autorickshaw in the city last month, has intensified the interrogation of prime accused Mohammed Shariq whose health condition has considerably improved. Shariq had suffered 45 per cent burns in the blast, while the autorickshaw driver, who was also injured, is recovering at the hospital.

A team of NIA officials grilled Shariq for a long period to gather sensitive information on the terrorist activities planned by outfits in southern India, police said.

The NIA authorities, who had earlier recorded his statement, are now eliciting information with the aim of reaching to the root of the terror network and their activities.

A little-known terrorist outfit, Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), had claimed responsibility for the blast. They have also issued threats against state ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar and warned of another attack. Shariq, 24, who is from Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district, was carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) in a cooker in an autorickshaw when it exploded on the outskirts of Mangaluru on November 19.