Who is Mohammed Shariq, man behind Mangaluru blast?

The ADGP said all of Shariq's contacts are being interrogated

Mohammed Shariq (24), a native of Soppugudde in Thirthahalli town in Shivamogga was one of the accused in the pro-terror graffiti writing registered at Mangaluru East Police station on November 27, 2020, and Mangaluru North Station on November 28, 2020.

Hasim Abdul Majid, Shariq's father, was running a readymade shop named 'Kohinoor' in Thirthahalli town. He died of cancer three months ago. Shariq has one sister and his mother Anseera died long back. Later, his father married another woman, Shabanam Banu, from the Udupi district. He was staying with her in the town.

Shariq did his SSLC in Dr UR Ananthamurthy government high school in Thirthahalli town. He had joined the government first-grade college in town for BCom. After one year, he quit the college and joined MGM in Udupi. But he did not complete his degree. He also worked as a delivery boy with Zomato in Mangaluru.

After the arrest of Shariq and Maaz Muneer Ahmed in connection with graffiti written in support of terrorist organisations in Mangaluru in December 2020, the duo had returned to Thirthahalli and spent many days together.

He was accused 1 (A1) in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 at the Shivamogga Rural Station, on September 19.

Shariq was a wanted suspect by Shivamogga police in connection with the bomb blast trials case. Shivamogga police had arrested two BE graduates-Maaz Muneer Ahmad (22) and Syed Yasin (21) who had carried out bomb blast trials in August at Kemmagundi near Gurupura on the banks of River Tunga in Shivamogga on instructions from Shariq. They were not using WhatsApp. Instead, they were using Telegram, Instagram, Wire, Element, and Wickr app. Shariq was sending cryptocurrency to them to purchase materials required for bomb-making.

After the case was booked against him on September 19, he went underground and rented a house in Mysuru, where he was taking classes in a mobile repair training institute, said ADGP Alok Kumar.

His immediate handler was Arafath Ali, accused in the graffiti case. Apart from that, he was in touch with Musafir Hussain. In a case booked under the UAPA Suddaguntepalya Al-Hind Module Bengaluru case, in which Abdul Mateen Ahmed Taha is an accused. Both are residents of Thirthahalli. Taha is also the main handler for Shariq and is absconding, and NIA has announced a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for information on Taha. However, Shariq was also in touch with a few others who are yet to be identified, said ADGP Alok Kumar.

Alok Kumar said that Shariq had visited Coimbatore recently where he had booked a dormitory using the Aadhaar card of Arun Kumar Gawli. He had taken a SIM under the name of Surendra. He also possessed an Aadhaar card of a person from Gadag.

“The police will investigate whether Shariq had learnt to make bombs on his own or was he trained by others,” said the ADGP.

Shariq was also trading bitcoins, and who was financing him will also be investigated.

The police will verify who he met in Coimbatore, Mysuru, Kerala during his visits.

To a query on whether funds were transferred to the account of his sister, the ADGP said that his sister was married to a person from Shikaripura. The police will investigate whether the funds were transferred to her account. The police will also look for the places where he had visited in Mangaluru. His intention was to create terror in the minds of innocent people.

“The explosives were not fixed properly. He was not an expert in it. Had he fixed it properly, it would have been a major blast. All his contacts are being interrogated,” said the ADGP.

Further, he said that there was no link between the blast and the CM's programme in Mangaluru.