The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru city police in India's Karnataka state arrested five people for allegedly planning a terror attack in the city on Wednesday.
The suspects have been identified as Suhail, Omar, Zahid, Mudasir and Faisal while another suspect named Junaid is still on the run.
They were previously arrested in 2017 and lodged in the prison for 18 months in connection with a murder case. They were released in 2018.
According to the police, Junaid is believed to be settled abroad. He is the mastermind of providing arms and explosives to the rest of the five.
The CCB also seized explosive materials, guns, daggers and other items including mobile phones from the suspects.
While addressing the press conference, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Dayanand B said that the suspects told the police during interrogation that they were in contact with T Nazeer, a terror accused lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail.
The official further informed media that the CCB, in coordination with federal agencies, is tracking down the whereabouts of Junai.
Former Karnataka state chief and BJP politician Basavaraj Bommai praised the Central Crime Branch for nabbing suspects allegedly planning a terror attack. But he demanded that the case should be further handed over to the federal National Investigation Agency.
Bommai, however, lashed out at the Congress-led state government as he said that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated.