Karnataka terror plot: Videos of 36 sensitive locations found

Bengaluru, Dec 8: The probe being conducted by the Karnataka Police in connection with a terror plot has revealed that the accused persons had shot videos of important locations in Bengaluru, Mysore, Bagalkot, Vijaypura, Hubbali-Dharwad and Gadag. The police say that at least 36 clippings were found containing information about specific locations.

The arrested person, Salamati Ejaz Bihari, editor of an Urdu magazine has however denied all charges stating that these were photographs which were to be part of a data base.

Bihari who has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days was one among the four arrested in connection with this case, which the police suspect was a major terror plot. The police are still ascertaining the details in the case and do not want to jump to any conclusions.

The police found that Bihari had appointed one Qureshi to videograph sensitive locations such as the Begalavi airport among other government buildings across the state.

However, the police only suspect that the motive could be terror. We do not want to jump to any conclusions, an officer informed OneIndia. The investigations are still on and we are also trying to ascertain if Bihari was acting on his own or was being mentored by someone else.

Bihari originally from Bihar had settled in Kalburgi, Karnataka several years back and was running an Udru newspaper.

The police investigation has show far shown that a newspaper boy was clicking pictures of sensitive locations around Belagavi and on being questioned, he said that he was doing so at the behest of Bihari.

The operation was jointly carried out by the police teams of Belagavi and Kalburgi. It is still a premature case, a police officer said while also adding that they are ascertaining all information before coming to any conclusion.

The case has been booked on the basis of the pictures that were retrieved and we found that images of very sensitive locations were being shot.

The police had also arrested two other journalists in connection with this case. However they were let off after no evidence cropped up against them. However Bihari will be questioned and the police would seek his custodial interrogation before a local court.

Bihari was detained by the police along with 2 other journalists from Kalburgi, a northeastern city. While the two other journalists were let off, Bihari, was formally arrested by the police.

An intelligence bureau official informed OneIndia that it would be too premature to comment. Parts of North Karnataka are extremely sensitive in nature and in the past there have been attempts made to carry out strikes.

Attempts to strike at Hubbali following an alleged SIMI camp had also been unearthed and thwarted by the police several years back.

OneIndia News