Radicalisation in Karnataka: Shivamogga violence is yet another warning we mustn’t ignore

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Intelligence reports indicate that terrorists and radical elements have taken shelter in coastal Karnataka as well as areas in and around Shivamogga for long. The problem is gradually catching up in many places in the state.

New Delhi, Aug 16: Shivamogga is witnessing its second incident of a Hindu man being attacked in the past six months. While in February a Hindu activist Harsha was murdered, now one Prem Singh has been stabbed and the accused have been identified as Nadeem (25), Abdul Rehman (25) and Jabiullah.

The arrests took place a day after Singh was stabbed in the Gandhi Bazar area of Shivamogga in Karnataka hours after a row erupted over a poster of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar which was put up at the Ameer Ahmed Circle on Independence Day. Two groups clashed over installing a poster of Savarkar and Tipu Sultan on Monday.

Karnataka has been witnessing such violent incidents in recent times. Recently some radical Islamists had murdered a Hindu activist, Praveen Nettar near Mangaluru in coastal Karnataka. This brings us to question whether the coastal belt in Karnataka has witnessed fast paced Islamic radicalisation and where things have started going wrong.

Savarkar-Tipu poster row in Shivamogga: 10 points

When one speaks of the coast in Karnataka, the terror module that was being run from Bhatkal is something that cannot be ignored. The founders of the dreaded Indian Mujahideen (IM) hailed from Bhatkal. The Bhatkal brothers who ran the outfit were involved in various acts of terror and radicalisation in the region.

The Shivamogga link to the Indian Mujahideen is also nothing new. The IM boss had taken shelter at this place and also planned acts of terror here. A reflection of how communally sensitive this area is could be seen in the fact that a major riot erupted in 2010 after a newspaper published an article by Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. One person was killed in the riot.

An Intelligence Bureau official explains that terrorists and radical elements have taken shelter in coastal Karnataka as well as areas in and around Shivamogga for long. The problem is gradually catching up in many places in the state, an Intelligence Bureau official explained to OneIndia. The case study on radicalisation in Karnataka is text book what took place in Kerala over the years. If one looks at the investigations undertaken by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), it becomes clear that both Kerala and Karnataka are deeply connected when it comes to radicalisation.

The Indian Mujahideen was formed by the Bhatkal brothers from Karnataka. However the decision to form it was taken in Kerala. Further after every blast that the IM undertook, the operatives took shelter in Kerala and this explains the extent of bonding the radicals from both states have.

A recent probe by the NIA in an Islamic State case also shows the close links that radicals from Kerala and Karnataka have. In this case a girl from Coorg, Karnataka converted to Islam, married a Muslim and went on a radicalising and recruiting spree, the NIA said in its case. The NIA said that one Mohammad Ameen from Kerala was running several ISIS propaganda channels. In these channels, the new way of life to be followed, prescribing compulsory hijab and indulging in violent Jihad would be propagated.

The Islamic radicalisation of coastal Karnataka and why we must be concerned

In the same case, the girl from Coorg, Deepti Marla who went on to become Maryam was also arrested.

The NIA said that she had honey-trapped and then converted 10 Hindu youth to Islam. Once they were converted to Islam, she would force them to join the ISIS. Maryam was arrested from Ullal in Coastal Karnataka. Another person to be arrested from Ullal in the same case is Ammar Abdul Rahman.

An official explains that the proximity of Kasargod to coastal Karnataka is also part of the problem. Kasargod has several radical elements who keep paying a visit to the coast and carry out their agenda.