‘Been Requesting Modi to Set Up NIA in Bengaluru’: BSY Backs Tejasvi’s ‘Bengaluru is Terror Hub’ Remark

A day after he claimed that Bengaluru has become a hub of terror activities, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya found support in Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa who said there has indeed been a rise in criminal activities in the city.

Yediyurappa on Monday said he has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up a separate division of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the city. “I have been requesting PM Modi for setting up NIA here too. We are seeing increase in cases,” Yediyurappa said.

Tejasvi, newly appointed as the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, had on Sunday said Bengaluru has become an epicentre of terror activities and he has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to set up a permanent division of the NIA in the city.

Surya said that many terror modules have been busted in Bengaluru in the recent past and the terrorist groups want to use the city as an “incubation centre” for terror activities. “The Home Minister has assured that he will direct officials to establish a permanent station house manned by an officer of the rank of the SP at the earliest,” Surya said.

“In last few years, Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, has become epicentre of terror activities. It has been proved through many arrests and sleeper terror cells busted by the investigative agency in the city,” Surya, who represents Bengaluru South in Lok Sabha, told reporters here. “It is a matter of grave concern that NIA investigations into the DJ Halli and KG Halli mob violence in August have indicated that many terrorist organisations are using Bengaluru as their incubation centre for carrying out anti-India activities, he said.

Over 3,000 people went on a rampage on August 11 torching the residences of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, his sister Jayanthi and DJ Halli and KG Halli halli police stations in Bengaluru. The violence broke out over an alleged inflammatory social media post by the nephew of the Congress MLA.

Surya said there are reports that the NIA does not have sufficient infrastructure and human resources for conducting investigations. The NIA is currently operating with skeletal staff and that too from Hyderabad with only a camp office in Bengaluru.