Mangaluru blast: TN police on its toes, looks into suspicion over links

CHENNAI: A probe is on to ascertain whether the prime accused in the Mangaluru blast, Mohammed Shariq, has any accomplices in Tamil Nadu, police said here on Monday. It is now clear that Shariq had bought a SIM card for a mobile phone using the Aadhaar card of a native of Ooty, Surendran, police sources said. Investigations are on to check whether Shariq's stay in September in Coimbatore, which witnessed a blast last month, was part of a larger criminal conspiracy, they said. Surendran, now being questioned by police, had stayed in the same dormitory with Shariq, who had befriended him to get the Aadhaar card. According to the National Investigation Agency, Coimbatore based Jamesha Mubeen, after taking an oath of allegiance to the ISIS, was planning to carry out suicidal attacks. Mubeen died on October 23 after a car he travelled exploded in front of a temple in Tamil Nadu's Western city. The vehicle had explosives and gas cylinders. Police sources said the current probe is, among other aspects, is to find out if Shariq was in touch with Mubeen. Authorities of a school, where Surendran worked in Coimbatore a few years ago, are also likely to inquired soon.

Reportedly, a 22-year old man, who is a native of Assam was questioned by police for having spoken to Shariq over phone. The young man, for a couple of years, has been working at a hotel in Kanyakumari district. Police have intensified vigil across inter-State borders and at all places, where people congregate in large numbers, and all vehicles entering Tamil Nadu are being thoroughly checked.