Central investigation agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, are probing whether the accused in a case pertaining to the gunning down of Tamil Nadu Special Sub-Inspector of Police Wilson received any logistical support in Kozhikode.
After carrying out the crime at the market road check-post at Kaliyikkavila, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, on January 8, the assailants escaped and concealed the knife and firearm used in the attack near the KSRTC bus stations Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. They then reached Kozhikode, changed their appearance before travelling to Maharashtra.
“They had offered prayers at a mosque and brought clothes from a shop near the Vadakara railway station to disguise themselves for almost half a day. They proceeded to Maharashtra and returned to Mangaluru. Security agencies are probing whether they had secured logistical support from any organisation or any individual. Further investigations are on,” an official said.
Last week, the NIA submitted a chargesheet against six persons — Abdul Shameem, 30; Y. Thowfeek, 27, of Kanyakumari; Khaja Mohideen, 48, of Cuddalore; Mahboob Pasha, 48, and Ejas Pasha, 46, of Bengaluru; and Jaffer Ali, 26, of Cuddalore — before the special NIA court in Chennai. Wilson was shot and stabbed to death by Shameem and Thowfeek.
The assailants were arrested on January 15. But investigation revealed that they killed the police officer with a view to creating terror in the minds of the people as part of waging violent jihad, the NIA said in its chargesheet.
It said Khaja Mohideen was a member of the proscribed terrorist organisation Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh. He had recruited and radicalised Shameem and Thowfeek to carry out violent attacks against the establishment in Tamil Nadu.
Mahboob and Ejas and Jaffer were involved in procuring firearms and ammunition to carry out the attacks. All the accused were charged with Sections 120B, 302, 353 and 506 ( ii) read with 34 of the IPC and Sections 16, 18, 18B, 20, 23, 38 and 39 of the UAPA Act and sections 25 ( IB) 9a) and 27 of the Arms Act.