BJP raps govt for 'inaction' against terror activities

BJP today flayed the Congress-led Karnataka government for its "failure" to take police action in spite of the NIA recently recovering explosives from an apartment in Mangalore, where co-founder of militant outfit Indian Mujahideen Yasin Bhatkal had reportedly lived.

"The National Security Agency officials visited the apartment in Attavar region of Mangalore and recovered explosives, mobile, sim cards and a bike used by Bhatkal and his aide, who had lived there for brief period," V Sunil Kumar said in the Assembly during its Winter session here.

"Consequently, police has hardly done anything in the matter," Kumar said.

Bhatkal was arrested in August near the Indo-Nepal border in north Bihar.

Government should take police action immediately and register a complaint in the matter, he said.

"Why haven't the police acted? Why is it silent? The government should act," Kumar said.

He said the fact that Bhatkal and his aide stayed in the apartment suggests that they had local support and it is a conpiracy to "protect" terrorists active in the country.

Kumar alleged that the government had no information about terrorist activities in the IM module in Mangalore.

In his reply, Home Minister K J George said as the case is being investigated by NIA, Karnataka police does not have any role to play.

"When CBI investigates a case, no other agency is allowed to interfere in the affairs. Likewise, when NIA investigates, no state police has powers to intervene," he said.

However, the government will book a case in this regard if NIA directs it to do after completion of their investigation, George said.