Islamic State operatives in Karnataka believed India will be free when Caliphate is set up

The accused arrested in the Shivamogga murder case believed that India hasn't secured freedom yet and that it would be independent only once the Caliphate is established.

New Delhi, Sep 24: India will achieve freedom only once the Caliphate is established, the Islamic State terrorists arrested in Karnataka had thought. They had an ideology that India had not secured its independence still and the indolence which the country has achieved is from the British rule, Shivamogga Superintendent of Police B M Lakshmi Prasad said while sharing details of the probe into the incident.

The accused also felt that real freedom will be achieved only when the Caliphate is established. The police have booked engineer Syed Yasin, engineering student Maaz Muneer and Shariq under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on September 19. Shariq, however, is absconding.

The case relates to a stabbing incident that took place in Shivamogga on August 15. Taking into consideration the ramifications of the case, the National Investigation Agency has also joined the investigation.

Shivamogga has witnessed several violent incidents, thanks to the deep infiltration of the ISIS ideology. Karnataka has been witnessing such violent incidents in recent times. Recently some radical Islamists had murdered a Hindu activist, Praveen Nettar, near Mangaluru in coastal Karnataka. This brings us to question whether the coastal belt in Karnataka has witnessed fast paced Islamic radicalisation and where things have started going wrong.

Shivamogga has been under the radar of terror groups for long. Operatives of the Indian Mujahideen had for long taken shelter in Shivamogga. The IM boss had taken shelter at this place and also planned acts of terror here. A reflection of how communally sensitive this area is could be seen in the fact that a major riot erupted in 2010 after a newspaper published an article by Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. One person was killed in the riot.

An Intelligence Bureau official explains that terrorists and radical elements have taken shelter in coastal Karnataka as well as areas in and around Shivamogga for long. The problem is gradually catching up in many places in the state, an Intelligence Bureau official explained to OneIndia. The case study on radicalisation in Karnataka is text book what took place in Kerala over the years. If one looks at the investigations undertaken by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), it becomes clear that both Kerala and Karnataka are deeply connected when it comes to radicalisation.