The Tamil Nadu police has detained one person from Udhagamandalam in Nilgiris district over his suspected links with the accused in the autorickshaw blast in Karnataka's Mangaluru.
According to reports, Surendran, a native of Kundachappai village, is being questioned after it emerged that the mobile SIM, which the accused was using, was bought using his Aadhaar card.
Interrogation is underway to ascertain whether Surendran had helped the accused, Mohammed Shareeq, to buy the SIM card or the accused used the number without his knowledge. Surendran is being taken to Coimbatore for further interrogation.
An IANS report quoted police sources as claiming that Surendran has admitted to knowing Shareeq. They also said Shafeeq had made calls to some numbers in Tamil Nadu.
Shafeeq, who is suspected to be a member of an IS module and has been charged under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was missing since September. His family has identified him through his photograph.
The blast occurred on Saturday evening inside an autorickshaw, near a police station, leaving the passenger and the driver injured. Both have been admitted to hospital. According to police sources, a cooker fitted with detonator, wires and batteries were used to trigger the blast. After the explosion, the interiors of the autorickshaw were badly damaged.
'Act of terror'
The explosion was triggered by explosives concealed in a cooker and it is an act of terror intended to cause damage, Karnataka Director General of Police, Praveen Sood said on Sunday.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the suspect, who was the passenger in that vehicle, had terror links. He added that sleuths of the National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau have joined the Karnataka police in investigation. According to preliminary probe, it appeared to be a low intensity improvised explosive device and further investigation would bring out more details, Bommai told reporters here.
Meanwhile, police intensified vehicle checks on the outskirts of Coimbatore, particularly those coming from Karnataka on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border at Anaikatty and Mangarai, police pointed out.
Security has also been beefed up in the city with police teams carrying out baggage checks of passengers at railway stations, bus stands and of those moving in suspicious manner at places where large crowds are seen.
With PTI inputs