Mysterious IRC Group Claims Responsibility for Mangaluru Autorickshaw Blast

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Bengaluru: A previously unknown organisation calling itself the Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) has stepped forward to claim responsibility for the November 19 autorickshaw explosion in Mangaluru. The group posted a message on social media on November 23, stating that one of its members, Mohammed Shariq, carried out the attack targeting a Hindu temple in Kadri, Dakshina Kannada district.

The post, accessed by TNIE on the IRC's Instagram handle, features a photograph of Shariq and describes him as a "Mujahid brother." It asserts that the intended target was a "Hindutva Temple in Kadri, a bastion of the Saffron terrorists in Mangaluru." While acknowledging the operation failed to achieve its objectives, the message called it a success in terms of "tradecraft and tactics," claiming Shariq evaded state and central intelligence agencies before mounting the attack.

Police are treating the claim with caution. ADGP Law and Order Alok Kumar confirmed to TNIE that authorities are verifying the origin of the information. "We are checking the veracity of the contents and genuineness of the organisation," he said. Sources indicate the post appears to be a one-time upload on the group's Instagram handle.

The blast occurred on November 19 when Shariq, then at large, was travelling in an autorickshaw. A pressure cooker he was carrying exploded inside the vehicle, injuring him and the driver. Police have classified the incident as a terror act. Shariq's case has highlighted concerns about radicalisation among educated youth in the region.

📰 Source: New Indian Express Mangalore