Authorities in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka rejected reports of an arrest made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Belthangady taluk of the district.
The administration also refuted reports of a satellite call made from Belthangady to a location in Pakistan.
"We have checked with the NIA and there was no one arrested in our district limits recently. We are also unaware of any communication made from here to Pakistan," stated Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police (SP).
Sections of the media reported that satellite calls made from Nyayatarpu village in Belthangady to a location in Pakistan. It was reported that the calls were intercepted after a terrorist disclosed details of the satellite call during an interrogation.
The reports emerged at a time of heightened security in Dakshina Kannada and other parts of Karnataka. Security was heightened in the district after an alert was issued in Karnataka.
Dakshina Kannada SP BM Laxmi Prasad further clarified that police are not looking for suspected terrorists in Belthangady.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao clarified to TNM on Saturday that the high alert was issued as part of a general exercise followed by the police and that there was no specific threat. He added that there was no truth in the message about the ‘possibility of a terrorist cell active in Bengaluru’.
Following the news of the alert in the state, WhatsApp messages spread panic in Bengaluru about the 'possibility of a terrorist cell' active in the city.
A message doing the rounds stated: “VERY HIGH ALERT DECLARED BY COMMISSIONER BHASKAR RAO: Received from Central Home ministry today. Be extremely cautious while visiting Malls, Movie Theatres, Crowded Streets, Prayer halls, temples,Mosques during this weekend. Avoid if possible. Possibility of a terrorist cell active in Bangalore (sic).”
However, the part about the possibility of a terrorist cell active in Bengaluru was dismissed as untrue by the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao.
Also read: Bengaluru Police Commissioner dismisses rumours of ‘active terror cell’ in city