Mangaluru : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)territory joint secretary on Thursday urged both the Union and State governments to take steps for setting up the offices of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Mangaluru in view of terror links to the coastal belt.

Referring to the NIA recently arresting Reshaan Thajuddin Sheikh, an engineering student at a college in Mangaluru, and Mazin Abdul Rahman from Thokottu in connection with the Shivamogga Islamic State conspiracy case, the VHP said in a release that it is a matter of concern.

The territory joint secretary of the VHP, Sharan Pumpwell, said that the terror links to the coastal belt are dangerous to the coastal security. The elected representatives and the government should take it seriously and the time is ripe for establishing the offices of NIA and ATS in the city.

Mr. Pumpwell said that Islamic terrorists are trying to establish base in the coastal belt. Last year’s cooker bomb explosion in the city is an attempt to create fear psychosis in the minds of people. People should join hands to oust terrorist activities from the coastal belt, he said.