Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that he will hold talks with the Centre on setting up a branch of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mangaluru.
"The MLAs from the coastal belt have also demanded the setting up of an NIA branch in Mangaluru in the backdrop of terror links to the coastal region. The government is considering the demand for the setting up of a unit of NIA in Mangaluru positively. We have considered the issue of the recent raid by the NIA in Ullal and Bhatkal on the alleged link with ISIS seriously. The police has already taken several measures to prevent terror activities in the region. We are also discussing adopting stringent measures. The police have also been asked to remain alert," he told media persons.
"Terror link to the coastal region is not new. Even in the past, there were issues related to the terror links that had cropped up. The police will be vigil," he said.
To a query on a number of Kannadigas stranded in Afghanistan, the minister said there is no exact statistics. The government has appointed senior IPS officer Umesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police-CID, as a nodal officer to coordinate with the Union government to bring back residents of Karnataka stranded in Afghanistan. "The officer will be coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding residents of Karnataka in Afghanistan. The Centre has taken all steps to bring back the stranded Indians. People can contact the nodal officer seeking help," said the Minister.
To a query on a bullet being fired in the air at Yaragol, a border village in Gurmatkal taluk of the district to welcome Union Minister of State for Renewable Energy, Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagawanth Khuba, he said that an FIR has been registered. "It is a custom to fire in the air to celebrate the happiness in Malnad area. Such practices are being followed even in Kodagu and other districts in Malnad. It is wrong to display such an act in public. Such incidents of firing in the air might prove fatal sometimes," he said.
On SDPI disrupting Independence Day celebrations in Kabaka, the Minister said that the police have already taken legal action.