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A 20-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh has been arrested in Karnataka's Davangere district on suspicion of having links to a Pakistan-based terror network,
officials said. The arrest was made in a joint operation by the Davangere District Police and intelligence agencies following inputs from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The accused, identified as Suhail, is a native of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh. He had recently arrived in Harihar taluk in Davangere district and was working as a painter at a factory while staying in a village under the jurisdiction of the Harihar Rural Police Station.
Plot To Bomb Ram Mandir?
According to police, Suhail was taken into custody on Tuesday after intelligence inputs suggested possible links to extremist elements. During searches and examination of his mobile phone, investigators allegedly found material related to suspected terror activities on his WhatsApp account. Officials said chats recovered from the device indicated he had been in contact with individuals based in Pakistan.
Sources familiar with the investigation said audio clips recovered from the phone are also under scrutiny. According to the FIR, one of the clips allegedly contained conversations related to a possible bombing of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, leading investigators to widen the probe into his contacts and activities.
The arrest comes weeks after Karnataka Police arrested two other suspects from Tumakuru and Davangere districts for allegedly maintaining contact with a Pakistan-based individual through social media. Investigators believe the latest arrest may be linked to leads that emerged during that earlier probe.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge confirmed the arrest, saying preliminary findings suggest the accused had come to Karnataka in search of work and that information recovered from his mobile phone led to the action. He said further details would emerge only after the investigation is completed.
