'Muthalik linked to city's right-wing group'

A team of sleuths from Karnataka's internal security division (ISD) visited the city last month to probe whether 2008 Malegoan blast accused, Pravin Takalki alias Pravin Muthalik, had links to a little known local right-wing outfit that has been blamed for some communal incidents in parts of Karnataka in the last few years.

A team of sleuths from Karnataka's internal security division (ISD) visited the city last month to probe whether 2008 Malegoan blast accused, Pravin Takalki alias Pravin Muthalik, had links to a little known local right-wing outfit that has been blamed for some communal incidents in parts of Karnataka in the last few years.

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The police suspect the outfit, called the Tiger Gang, may have had links with Abhinav Bharat, the group named in the 2008 Malegaon blast.

Muthalik has been a member of Abhinav Bharat since 2008 and anti-terrorism squad (ATS) is hopeful it will be able to gather more information about the Tiger Gang's activities from him.

Highly placed sources in the ATS said the ISD wanted to probe Muthalik's links with the ultra right-wing group. "Several communal acts, including murders, are registered against the group's members in Karnataka. They have attacked minorities at the slightest provocation and have resorted to killings," an officer said.

He said some of the gang members have been arrested but very little is known about them. "We never heard of the gang till the team from Karnataka came," the officer added.