Terror accused 'threatens' witness

The main accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts, T Nasir, has allegedly threatened an important witness in the case outside the special court located at the Bengaluru Central Prison premises, Parappana Agrahara.

The incident took place on Thursday after the witness deposed before the court. An FIR has been registered at the Parappana Agrahara police station against Nasir in this regard.

The witness, Ribi Kurian, runs a shop dealing with explosives and his statement was being recorded since Wednesday. The trial in the Bengaluru serial blasts is taking place almost on a daily basis on the Supreme Court direction. On November 12, Kurian and his brother Reji Kurian had gone to the court to depose before the judge.

The Bengaluru police investigating the serial blasts had come across a voter identification card from one of the suspected terrorists, also an accused in the case, who was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. Three other suspected terrorists were also killed in that encounter.

The card had the photo of the deceased terrorist but with Kurian’s address in Kerala. Investigation revealed that Kurian’s shop ‘Turattiyal Traders’ in Perambavoor on Alva Munar Road was burgled in May 2008.

However, it was not reported to the police since Kurian was allegedly violating the license norms. Several explosive materials, including Nitrate Mixer, Electric Detonator and Ammonium Nitrate, were allegedly stolen from the store.

The thieves had also taken away several documents, including passports, voters ID and passbooks. However, these documents were returned to Kurian through a courier from Calicut within 15 days.

In his deposition before the special court on Wednesday, Kurian confirmed the theft. The next day, as he was approaching the staircase to the special court inside the Parappana Agrahara prison, Nasir, who was standing along with other accused on the ground floor, rushed to Kurian and threatened him with dire consequences. “You lied to the court. I will kill you and kill myself,” Nasir allegedly told Kurian.

A senior police officer said that the incident was brought to the notice of the judge. Later, Kurian filed a complaint with the Parappana Agrahara police.

A police officer said that an FIR had been registered against Nasir under sections 504 and 506 of the IPC after obtaining the court’s permission. After the incident, City Armed Reserve (CAR) Assistant Commissioner of Police had been deputed to escort the accused.