Karnataka on high alert after NIA arrests terror suspect, confirms home minister

Following the arrest of a suspected terrorist who is reportedly a Bangladeshi national, a high alert was sounded across Karnataka on Thursday. The accused was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Karnataka's Doddaballapura town, 40 km away from Bengaluru city.

While addressing the reporters, Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil said that the suspect is allegedly linked to a terrorist outfit.

"I had a meeting with the CID officials and as a precautionary measure a high-alert has been sounded across Karnataka," Patil said as quoted by news agency IANS. 

Patil refused to speak on the recovery of two live-bombs from Ramanagara district on Wednesday afternoon. "Since it comes under the jurisdiction of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), I have nothing to say on the incident but only extend all co-operation," Patil said.

The accused, Habibur Rahman Sheikh, who was on the run since the blast, was arrested by the NIA from Doddaballapur town. Rahman is suspected to be a member of the terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

A report filed by International Business Times on Wednesday stated that the probe agency has now charge-sheeted Rahman for conspiracy to wage war against the governments of India and Bangladesh. He was produced before the NIA court in Bengaluru and taken to Kolkata on a transit warrant for further investigation.