Bomb scare:Several people questioned,says police commissioner

Several people have been questioned and many suspected places searched as part of the probe into finding out the culprit behind the planting of Improvised Explosive Device at Mangaluru International Airport on January 20, city police commissioner P S Harsha said here on Tuesday.

The bag containing possible explosive substances was found by a CISF official at the entry point of the airport on Monday. it was later defused by the bomb squad.

The commissioner said three police teams probing the case are looking into all angles and hoped to crack it at the earliest.

The probe was progressing well and the suspect who planted the IED would be nabbed soon, he said.

Among those questioned was the auto rickshaw driver in whose vehicle the suspect reached the airport.

Police are also trying to find out whether there is any link between the incident and the bomb threat call received later by the terminal manager against a Bengaluru bound IndiGo flight which left hours late after necessary clearance.

The Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad has sent the residue of the controlled explosion of the device carried out at Kenjar to the Forensic Science Laboratory to find out the nature of the explosive.

Harsha said people have been sending photos and videos of persons looking similar to the suspect to the police, which are being examined.

The auto rickshaw driver who carried the suspect to the airport told the police that the man had another bag in his possession which he left at a salon at Kenjar before going to the airport.

He collected the bag on the way back and got down at Pumpwell junction, the driver said.

Meanwhile, a team of the National Security Guard (NSG) arrived at the MIA on Tuesday to conduct a detailed enquiry into Mondays incident.

They examined the spot where the bomb was found and the entry points to the airport.

The team also visited Kenjar where the IED was detonated by the bomb disposal squad and examined the area to find out the power of the explosion.