Karnataka won't be a sleeper cell for terrorists, says Minister Priyank Kharge after Davanagere arrest
Synopsis
A 20-year-old migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh was arrested in Karnataka’s Davanagere district over alleged terror links and a purported plan to bomb the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya — prompting Home Minister Priyank Kharge to publicly insist the state is not a terrorist sleeper cell, even as the NIA moved in to take charge of the probe.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on 27 June declared the state would not be allowed to become a ‘sleeper cell’ for terrorists.
Suspect Suhail, 20 , a native of Uttar Pradesh , was arrested on 24 June in Harihar taluk , Davanagere district.
An audio clip purportedly features the accused discussing a bomb blast plan targeting the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya .
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has joined the investigation and interrogated the accused.
Suhail had arrived in Harihar about 15 days before his arrest, employed as a painter at a private factory.
Investigators are probing alleged contact with foreign handlers involved in online radicalisation.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday, 27 June firmly stated that the state would not be permitted to become a “sleeper cell” for terrorists, reacting to the arrest of a suspected terrorist in Davanagere district. Kharge made the remarks while addressing reporters in Bengaluru, as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) joined the probe into the case, which reportedly involves a plot to bomb the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
What the Minister Said
“In no way is Karnataka a sleeper cell for terrorists. We will not allow Karnataka to become a sleeper cell for terrorists,” Kharge told reporters. He urged the public not to draw hasty or incorrect conclusions from the incident, stressing that there was “no sleeper cell operating in Karnataka.”
The minister was also careful to contextualise the suspect’s background. “We need to understand where such suspects come from. They are not local Kannada-speaking people and they do not hail from Karnataka,” he said, adding that such individuals often enter the state as migrant labourers from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.
The Arrest: Key Details
In a joint operation on 24 June, Karnataka Police and intelligence officials arrested Suhail, 20, a native of Uttar Pradesh, from Harihar taluk in Davanagere district. Suhail had arrived in the area roughly 15 days earlier, ostensibly for painting work at a private factory, and was residing in a rented house under the jurisdiction of the Harihar Rural Police Station.
According to police, a sub-inspector on routine patrol noticed suspicious behaviour and questioned the youth. His inability to provide satisfactory answers prompted officers to conduct a thorough background check and digital audit. Preliminary investigations reportedly uncovered terror-related material in his WhatsApp account, including an audio clip purportedly featuring him discussing a plan to carry out a bomb blast at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A case has been registered at the Harihar Rural Police Station.
NIA Steps In
Kharge confirmed that the investigation is now being conducted in coordination with the NIA, which has sent officers to interrogate the accused. “As soon as the suspect was arrested, all the information available in his WhatsApp chats was extracted for investigation. Officers of the NIA have also arrived and interrogated the accused,” the minister said.
He added that the state police were deferring to the central agency’s lead, given the jurisdictional scope of the case. “We have to act in accordance with the directions of the NIA because the case exceeds our jurisdiction. We are fully cooperating with the agency,” Kharge said.
Radicalisation Links Under Scrutiny
The probe has also revealed that Suhail was allegedly in contact with foreign handlers involved in online radicalisation activities. Investigators are examining the extent of those links and whether any broader network was operational in the region. Kharge noted that Karnataka’s intelligence agencies and police personnel “remain vigilant and continue to monitor such threats.”
This comes amid heightened security concerns around religious sites across India, and the case is expected to draw significant attention given the alleged target. The NIA-led investigation is ongoing, and further developments are anticipated as digital forensics are completed.
Point of View
Not a local — is politically calculated but also raises a harder question: if Karnataka’s intelligence picked this up through a routine patrol rather than prior surveillance, how many similar cases are going undetected? The NIA’s involvement signals the Centre takes the Ram Mandir angle seriously, but the speed with which state leaders rushed to distance Karnataka from any systemic failure suggests the political stakes are as high as the security ones. The real test will be whether the investigation surfaces a network or remains a one-off arrest.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Davanagere terror case?
The arrested suspect is Suhail , a 20-year-old native of Uttar Pradesh , who had arrived in Harihar taluk , Davanagere district, about 15 days before his arrest on 24 June . He was working as a painter at a private factory and living in a rented house in the area.
What was the alleged plot linked to the Davanagere arrest?
According to police, an audio clip purportedly featuring the accused discusses a plan to carry out a bomb blast at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya . Investigators also found terror-related material in his WhatsApp account and are probing alleged contact with foreign handlers involved in online radicalisation.
Why has the NIA taken over the Karnataka terror case?
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has jurisdiction over terror-related cases that have inter-state or international dimensions. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge confirmed that NIA officers have arrived and interrogated the accused, and that state police are fully cooperating with the agency’s directions.
What did Minister Priyank Kharge say about the arrest?
Kharge said Karnataka would not be allowed to become a ‘sleeper cell’ for terrorists, and urged the public not to draw incorrect conclusions. He noted that the suspect is not a local resident but a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh, and that Karnataka’s intelligence and police remain vigilant against such threats.
How was the suspect caught in Harihar?
A Harihar Rural Police sub-inspector noticed suspicious behaviour during a routine patrol and questioned Suhail . His inability to give satisfactory answers led officers to conduct a detailed background and digital verification, which uncovered the alleged terror-related material on his phone.
