The Mangaluru Police on Thursday detained a man from Karnataka’s Shivamogga in connection with the case where messages sympathetic towards terror outfit Lashkar-E-Taiba and the Taliban were written on the walls of two buildings in the city.
The Kadri Police detained Mohammed Nazir, a resident of Shivamogga’s Theerthahalli in connection with the case. On the morning of November 27, a day after the anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack, the Kadri Police rushed to an apartment located near Circuit House Road in Mangaluru after they received reports that a message sympathising with terror outfit Lashkar-E-Taiba, was pained on the compound wall of the apartment. “Do not force us to invite Lashkar-E-Taiba and Taliban to deal with Sanghis and Manuvadis #LashkariZindabad,” the message on the wall read.
The Kadri Police had registered an FIR against unidentified persons under section 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups based on religion) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Two days after the incident, another message was painted on the wall of an old police station outpost located along Court Road in Mangaluru. “Gustak e Rasool ki ek hi saza, sar tan say juda” (only one punishment for offending Prophet - severing head from the body) was written in English script. The Mangaluru Police had at the time suspected that the same individual had written both messages. Footage from CCTV cameras located near the two buildings were pulled up.
The police had also found that the CCTV cameras installed near Circuit House Road were not functioning properly. Finally, the police zeroed-in on Mohammed Nazir, based on his call record details. Kadri Police told TNM that he was allegedly present at the two locations at around the same time when the walls were painted. “He was present near these buildings late at night one day before it was discovered. We are still questioning him based on suspicion. No arrest has been made yet,” the Kadri Police said.