At least 60 locations in southern India including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today i.e. on Wednesday, in a crackdown against suspects having links with the terror outfit ISIS, according to media reports.

The Anti-terror agency is also raiding more than 45 places in Karnataka.

Raids carried out by NIA

The raids are being carried out in the connection with the 2022 October blast in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore and Karnataka’s Mangaluru, the report added.

As per the police, the October 2022 blast in Coimbatore killed Jameza Mubin – who was questioned by the central anti-terror agency over alleged ISIS links in 2019.

Deceased Mubin was driving a car with two open cylinders and one of them exploded last year in October, police said.

A search of his house later led to the recovery of “low-intensive explosive material.”

Also Read: IT Teams at BBC’s Delhi, Mumbai Offices For Survey Operation, Congress Attacks Govt

Taking notes from the blast, Tamil Nadu chief, C Sylendra Babu said that those seemed to be meant for “future plans.”

Last year, in December, NIA had taken over the November 19 Mangaluru auto-rickshaw blast that injured two people including the suspect. Moreover, Mohammad Shareeq, who allegedly had tried to make a bomb in September too, was carrying a low-intensity Improvised Explosive device or IED when it exploded. A burnt pressure cooker fitted with batteries was found inside the auto.

Further, the police said that the blast was not accidental but an “act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage.” A group that calls itself ‘Islamic Resistance Council’ had claimed responsibility for the auto-rickshaw blast.