K'taka auto blast: TN cops interrogate man over links with accused

UDHAGAMANDALAM: A 40-year-old man is being questioned here in connection with the autorickshaw blast in Karnataka's Mangaluru as the mobile SIM card used by the accused was allegedly bought using his Aadhar card, police said on Sunday.

Based on information, police rushed to Kundasappai village and questioned Surendran about the incident, where the accused got the SIM card through his Aadhar card, they said.

Police had claimed that the SIM card used by the accused was bought by submitting a fake Aadhar card which led police to Surendran.

Interrogation is underway to ascertain whether Surendran had helped the accused to buy the SIM card or the accused used the number without his knowledge, they added.

Surendran is being taken to Coimbatore for further interrogation.

An explosion in a moving autorickshaw, near a police station, left the passenger and the driver injured in Mangaluru on Saturday evening. Both have been admitted to hospital. According to sources, a cooker fitted with detonator, wires and batteries were used to trigger the blast.

Karnataka's police chief has said the blast was an 'act of terror'.

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.

Since many trains are coming from Mangaluru, security was tightened at the railway stations, police said.

Additional police force have been deployed in the city and rural areas.