Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood said that the accused had a fake Aadhaar card.
Bengaluru:
Karnataka Police on Saturday traced the man in coastal Mangaluru whose identity was used by the accused in the autorickshaw blast, which they called an act of terror.
The passenger traveling in the auto stole the identity of another person from Hubli district of Karnataka.
Premraj Hutagi, a railway employee in the Tumakuru division of the Indian Railways whose identity was used by the accused, said he had lost his Aadhaar card twice in the last two years, but was not sure where exactly.
“Around 7:30, I got a call from a police sub-inspector. He asked where I lost my Aadhaar card. He also asked me about my parents. I gave all the information including my photographs,” Hutago said. Said heard about an incident in Mangaluru only after the police informed them about it.
He said, “I have nothing to do with this. I came to know about this incident when the police informed me. They said they have found my Aadhaar card. I have lost my Aadhaar card, it is true.” But I didn’t lose in Mangaluru.”
Premraj Hutgi said that he did not report the loss of the card as he had a unique ID through which he got another card printed. “I never knew it would be misused to this extent,” he said.
Karnataka Director General of Police Praveen Sood has confirmed to NDTV that the accused, who was a passenger in the auto, was carrying a cooker full of batteries and an explosive device, which injured both the driver and him.
Both are undergoing treatment, and the accused has not been able to speak to the police or provide more details about the incident.
DGP Sood said that the accused had fake Aadhaar card and also had fake address, fake name and photograph.
The state police chief has said that the autorickshaw blast was not accidental but an “act of terrorism with intent to cause grievous harm”, adding that police along with central agencies are probing the incident.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra also said that the Central Investigation Team is assisting the police in the case.
According to central intelligence agencies, the suspect had purchased a SIM card from Coimbatore under a false name. Sources told NDTV, “His tower location shows that he had traveled across Tamil Nadu. His call logs are being examined to trace his associates in Tamil Nadu.”