Tumakuru arrests linked to alleged Pakistan Instagram contact, police say

Police in Tumakuru, Karnataka, said two men were arrested over alleged contact on Instagram with a Pakistan-based individual and a suspected conspiracy. Officers said an inquiry and mobile phone examination pointed to messages about organising youths for disruptive acts. A case was registered at Tumakuru Town Police Station as investigations continue.

Police in Karnataka said two men were arrested for alleged social media contact with a Pakistan-based person. Police said the pair also conspired to carry out acts harmful to India’s national security. The accused were identified as Alla Bakhsh, 23, from Sriramanagar in Tumakuru, and Zamir Khan, 23, a mason from Davanagere.

Police sources said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) watched the suspects for nearly a month. The arrests followed checks of the intelligence inputs, the sources said. Local police worked with central agencies during the action. Police and central agencies said inquiries were continuing to understand the wider network and any suspected extremist links.

Tumakuru arrests linked to Pakistan-based contact on Instagram

Tumakuru district police said the case began after action on June 4. PSI Prasanna Kumar of Kyathsandra Police Station brought in Maulajan for questioning, police said. Maulajan worked at a mutton stall in Kadeyapete, Kyathsandra in Tumakuru. During checks, police examined Maulajan’s mobile phone, the statement said.

Police said Maulajan used an Instagram account to communicate in Hindi with Rana Bai. Police identified Rana Bai as a Pakistan-based person, according to the statement. The communication allegedly included efforts to organise Muslim youths. Police claimed the aim was to carry out disruptive activities and disturb peace in India.

Tumakuru arrests case registered at Tumakuru Town Police Station

Police said the alleged chats were seen as harmful to national security, unity, and sovereignty. Based on the phone findings, a complaint was filed, police said. A case was then registered at Tumakuru Town Police Station. Tumakuru district police said further steps followed after the registration of the case.

During investigation, police said Zamir Khan was also found linked to the accused. Police sources said the suspected operative allegedly asked the accused to arrange men from Tumakuru. The sources said there was also alleged planning for a murder in Pune next month. Police have not shared further operational details.

Tumakuru arrests probe mentions past blast cases, police sources say

Police sources also claimed the accused were given tasks linked to blasts. The sources referred to incidents near the BJP office in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. The sources also cited the Coimbatore blast case. Police said the probe was ongoing to check the extent of any connections.

Police said both accused were in custody and questioning continued. Agencies said they were working to confirm the full chain of contact. Police said the investigation would focus on the alleged network and any further suspects. Police added that further investigation was underway.

With inputs from PTI