Two ISIS-linked men get six years’ jail in Shivamogga Tunga Riverbank blast case

Mangalore Today News Network

Shivamogga, Nov 22, 2025: ‘The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court has sentenced two ISIS-linked men to six years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹59,000 each in connection with the Tunga riverbank trial blast and the 2022 Independence Day attempted murder of a Hindu youth.

The convicted men — Jabilulla and Nadeem Faizal, both from Shivamogga — had admitted to plotting attacks targeting Hindu youths, including plans to set fire to vehicles and shops. They also confessed to stabbing Rajasthan native Prem Singh on August 15, 2022, in an attempt to kill him.

Based on their confession and the evidence collected, the NIA court sentenced them under multiple sections. The order states that failure to pay the fine will lead to additional imprisonment.

In 2022, the Doddapete Police Station had registered a case regarding the attempted murder of Prem Singh, in which Jabbivulla and Nadeem Faizal were listed as the 8th and 9th accused. Additionally, a separate case was filed at the Shivamogga Rural Police Station concerning a trial explosion on the Tunga riverbank and the burning of the national flag. Both cases were later taken over by the NIA.

During the investigation, the NIA found that the duo had carried out acts under the directions of prime accused Mohammed Shariq — the mastermind behind the Mangaluru cooker blast and the Tunga riverbank explosion — along with accomplice Maaz Munir.

Investigators established that the convicts were members of ISIS and had also been associated with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). They were acting under the instructions of Shariq to identify Hindu-owned establishments for arson, with the intent to create economic disruption.

Mobile phones seized from the accused contained provocative speeches, jihad-related videos, and extremist audio clips linked to ISIS, SDPI and PFI leaders. The NIA also recovered photographs sent by Shariq and co-accused Syed Yaseen showing targeted clothing stores and warehouses in Shivamogga’s RML Nagar. Videos of Farhatullah Ghauri’s “Ghazwa-e-Hind” propaganda were also found, the agency stated.

As the two convicts accepted their involvement in the conspiracy and the attempted murder, the court handed down the six-year sentence. Proceedings against the remaining accused in the case are ongoing, said NIA special public prosecutor P. Prasanna Kumar. Senior advocate C. Sachin represented the NIA during the hearing,’