Yatnal Demands NIA Office in North Karnataka
The arrest of terrorist Sadiq in Vijayapura underscores the need for an NIA office in North Karnataka, he said
Vijayapura: A day after the arrest of Coimbatore blast accused Sadiq in Vijayapura, Bijapur (Vijayapura) City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has called for the immediate establishment of a National Investigation Agency (NIA) office in North Karnataka.
In a post on social media platform X, Yatnal tagged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Office of the Home Minister, expressing concern over the local police’s inability to detect Sadiq’s presence in the city for over a decade.
“The arrest of terrorist Sadiq in Vijayapura underscores the need for an NIA office in North Karnataka. The police could not trace him despite him being in Vijayapura for the past 12 years. He even went to the extent of marrying a girl from Hubli,” Yatnal stated.
He further criticized the state police, saying they remained "clueless" until the Anti-Terrorist Squad made the arrest. “I hope the Home Ministry takes cognizance of the increasing crimes and presence of terror sleeper cells in Karnataka and starts an office in North Karnataka as soon as possible,” he added.
Sadiq, wanted in connection with the 2022 Coimbatore car blast case, was arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad on Wednesday. His long-term stay in Vijayapura has raised serious questions about local intelligence and law enforcement monitoring mechanisms.