A 20-year-old migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh has been arrested in Davanagere, Karnataka on suspicion of his terrorist links and alleged contacts with people in Karnataka. Pakistan, police announced on Wednesday.
Sohail had recently arrived in Harihar taluk and was working as a painter. Authorities said he was staying in a rented home and arrived in the area about two weeks ago looking for work.
He was arrested on Tuesday by the Harihara Rural Police in coordination with intelligence officials after receiving inputs from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The officials then handed him over to the investigating agency concerned for further investigation.
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“We have secured the accused and handed him over to the investigating agency concerned,” a senior police officer said, according to PTI.
According to investigators, materials suspected to be related to terrorism-related activities were recovered from the accused’s WhatsApp account. Preliminary findings also indicate that he was communicating with several individuals residing in Pakistan.
Previous arrests
This development comes amid heightened security scrutiny Karnataka following the arrest of two more suspects on June 4 from Tumakuru and Davangere districts.
These individuals were allegedly in contact with a person residing in Pakistan through social media and were accused of conspiring to engage in activities deemed harmful to India’s national security, according to PTI.
Davanagere Superintendent of Police, Shekhar HT, said the suspect came under police scrutiny after authorities received credible intelligence information regarding his online activities, news agency ANI reported.
He added, “Based on some reliable information, we secured and verified him. After examining his mobile phone, it was found that he was in contact with some foreign parties regarding these matters.” Terrorism-related activities on social media platforms. We registered a case in this regard and arrested him. We will analyze his entire social media platform through his mobile phone. After that, we will finish the investigation into his identity and how he communicates with others. From all angles we will investigate this case in the future,” the SP told ANI.
Police are investigating online communications
Police are currently examining the suspect’s digital fingerprint to determine the nature and extent of his communications. Investigators are also seeking to determine whether he has any connection to individuals arrested in previous cases.
“As of now, there is no association with any organisation. But he is in touch with his handlers through social media platforms. We will check as it is too early to say anything, as we have to analyze his complete mobile phone data. Only then can we come to the conclusion whether he is in touch with other suspects in the previous cases,” he told ANI.
The officer also said that the suspect was initially intercepted during routine patrol duties by a local police sub-inspector.
“Our rural police station sub-inspector, when he was on rounds, arrested this suspect. Upon enquiry, he was unable to answer the questions raised by the police sub-inspector and after checking his antecedents and mobile phones, we learned that he is in touch with some social media, an online social media extremist group,” he added. He added that it was the local police who were involved and we will seek assistance from various central agencies as well for the purpose of investigation.
What Priyank Karg said
Home Minister of Karnataka Priyank Karg confirmed the arrest and said the suspect came to the state in search of work before he caught the attention of investigators.
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“As per preliminary investigation and available information, it seems that this person from Uttar Pradesh came here in search of work. Some information was discovered from his mobile phone. So he was arrested,” Karji told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The minister said that conversations recovered from the suspect’s mobile phone indicated contacts with individuals in Pakistan, although investigators were still determining the nature of those interactions.
“It emerged from the chats that he was in contact with some Pakistanis. But whether there was any widespread indoctrination or anything else will be known only after the investigation is over. He is in detention at the moment,” he added.
Speaking to reporters later, Karji said the arrest was made quickly after authorities received intelligence information regarding the suspect’s alleged cross-border contacts.
“He is a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh. Initial investigation revealed that he was in touch with some people from across the border. We are investigating the matter… As soon as we got information that he was in contact with people from Pakistan and elsewhere, we detained him. Further investigation will reveal who he was in contact with and what he intended to do.”
The authorities stressed that the investigation is still at an early stage and that conclusions regarding organizational links, extremism or broader networks will depend on analysis of the accused’s mobile phone data and his activity on social media.
Further investigations are underway.
