Bengaluru; In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered compelling evidence linking the Bellary module of ISIS to the Rameswaram cafe blast case in Kundalahalli, Bengaluru. Sources suggest that the prime suspect may be hiding either in Bellary or Pune, prompting extensive searches in these locations by NIA officials.
On December 14, 2023, NIA conducted raids across various places, including Bellary in Karnataka, leading to the arrest of eight individuals who are currently held in different jails across the country. Subsequently, body warrants were obtained for four suspects, and they were interrogated, yielding crucial information about the ISIS Bellary module’s involvement in the attack.
CCTV footage recorded the suspected terrorist boarding a bus to Pune at the Bellary bus stand on the day of the Rameswaram cafe explosion. Investigations are underway to trace his journey from Bellary. Meanwhile, suspicion surrounds Meenaz alias Sulaiman, a detainee from the Bellary on December 14, 2023. NIA officials intensified their interrogation of Sulaiman after obtaining a body warrant, leading to the detention of three suspected terrorists in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi. Meenaz alias Sulaiman, who was the head of the ISIS Bellary module, Syed Samir of Bellary in Bangalore jail, Anas Iqbal Shaikh in Mumbai jail and Shan Rehman alias Hussain in Delhi jail have been interrogated by the NIA officials.
Meenaz alias Sulaiman, identified as the head of the ISIS Bellary module, played a pivotal role in recruiting and radicalizing poor Muslim youth. Formerly associated with the PFI organization, Meenaz shifted allegiance to ISIS after the ban on PFI in India. The ISIS Bellary module president targeted vulnerable youth, particularly those associated with the PFI, brainwashing them in the name of freedom.
The investigation has unveiled Meenaz’s influence in forming a terrorist organization and his alleged involvement in the escape of one or two individuals who attacked Bellary on December 14, 2023. It is suspected that these escapees may have carried out the Rameswaram Cafe blast under Meenaz’s instructions while he was in jail.
Meenaz alias Sulaiman’s family background reveals his father running a clothing shop in Bellary, with both parents actively engaged in the business. His brother, previously working in Goa, returned after an accident, assisting their father in the shop. Sulaiman’s sister is reportedly pursuing MBBS in Tumkur.
The NIA’s continued efforts aim to dismantle the ISIS Bellary module and bring those responsible for the Rameswaram cafe blast to justice. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to apprehend the prime suspect and ensure the safety of the public.