Mangaluru: The city police brought Mangaluru bomb-episode accused Aditya Rao to the city on Wednesday, January 22 evening, and started questioning him to bring out the details of the case.

Addressing a press conference, Commissioner of Police Dr. PS Harsha said that Rao’s aversion to the airport setup (after having been denied an opportunity to work there) comes across to be the major reason behind the accused’s planting of an explosive device in the Mangaluru International Airport on Monday, January 20.

The background

Revealing details about the accused and all the circumstances that led him to plot the episode (which was seen as a potential threat to the internal security of the state), the Commissioner said that Rao, an engineer who also holds an MBA degree, was dejected after he felt that his academic excellence and professional talent could not bring him due respect and recognition in society.

“After being associated with some of the major technical, banking and financial companies for a very brief period of time, the accused said that he felt dejected and wanted to bid adieu to white-collar jobs. He then turned to blue-collar jobs and started working as a security guard at some of the most reputed colleges in the coastal belt,” said the Commissioner adding that he thereafter worked as a steward and a captain in many hotels in the region until he decided to leave for Bengaluru one day.

In Bengaluru too, he worked in many hotels and in food outlets such as Dominos and MTR until he got to know of an opening at the Kempegowda International Airport that offered a pay package of Rs 25,000.

The Commissioner said that Rao applied for the post and during the interview, the recruiters had reportedly told him that he was overqualified for the post.

“He convinced them. The airport officials then told him that it is a vital installation and that all his papers need to be legally ready. With this, he returned to his native place of Manipal, contacted a lawyer and readied all the paperwork, but to his dismay, when he returned to KIA, he was told that the job was given to somebody who had just the right qualifications,” said the Commissioner.

After this episode, Rao decided to settle scores.

Troubling Airports

After the KIA episode, Rao decided to trouble the airports and in this bid, he made two hoax calls to KIA in 2018. One to Air Asia and another to the Terminal Manager. This completely hampered the services of the international airport. He simultaneously made a call to the railway station as well and became witness to the chaos that it caused.

However, he was arrested in connection with these three cases and served 11 months in jail in Chikkaballapur.

Rao was even more motivated by these episodes and he began to plan something bigger and upon his release, he channelized all his knowledge towards executing the same.

Making explosives

Keeping in mind that he has to make a noise, he started an in-depth study of explosive substances on the internet.

“He used all his technical knowledge and gathered rather impressive details on improvised devices, components and assembling of the device. He settled on an e-platform to source the components as he realised that sourcing it in the open market could be a threat. He then zeroed in on the Mangaluru International Airport as his target because he believed that it is the next popular airport after KIA, and also due to the convenience in the execution of his plans,” said the Commissioner adding that while Aditya put together the component, he worked as a steward at a reputed hotel in Mangaluru.

“Even though his co-workers grew suspicious, he convinced them. After assembling the device, he quit his job and took up a job in Karkala. On January 19, he carried the assembled device and took a bus from Karkala to State Bank in Mangaluru. From there, he boarded a bus to Bajpe, but alighted close to the airport and took an auto to his destination,” said the top cop.

Surrender in Bengaluru

When Aditya learned that the cops had laid a trap for him, which he could not escape, fear crept in and he took a KSRTC bus to Bengaluru and surrendered before the police.

Police Custody

Now that he is in the Mangaluru Police’ custody, he will be produced before the special court on Thursday, January 23, after a medical check-up.

He has been booked under Section 5 of the Explosive Substance Act and suitable sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.