Coimbatore blast: One more arrested, NIA takes over probe

Tamil Nadu Police on Thursday recorded the sixth arrest in the Coimbatore car blast case by taking into custody a 28-year-old man, identified as a relative of the engineer who was killed instantly in the incident on Sunday, even as investigators believe the accused persons bought different types of explosives over a period of time.

Thursday also saw the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over the probe into the blast, a day after the state government decided to seek Centre’s help since the incident might have national and international links.

NIA’s Chennai office registered an FIR against the accused while its team was in Coimbatore questioning the suspects, while Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu rushed to the industrial city from Chennai to brief NIA officers about the probe by his force.

Afsar Khan, 28, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly helping Jameesha Mubin, the 25-year-old who was killed when an LPG cylinder inside the car he was travelling in exploded, procure explosives via popular e-commerce platforms, police sources said, adding that he will be produced before a court.

Khan is the sixth person to be arrested in the past five days for their role in the Sunday blast. Mubin’s Maruti 800, which changed several hands, exploded near the Kottai Eswaran Temple in Coimbatore’s communally- sensitive Ukkadam area.

Five persons -- Mohammad Asarudheen (25), Mohammad Riyaz (27), Mohammad Thalka (25), Mohammad Navaz Ismail (27) and Feroz Ismail (27) – were arrested on Tuesday for helping Mubin to transport explosives and LPG cylinders in his car. Khan’s arrest comes a day after a laptop was recovered from his house during searches.

The sources added that Khan played an important role in helping Mubin procure chemicals -- black powder, potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, charcoal, and sulphur were found in the latter’s house – over a period of time. “It looks like the chemicals were bought via e-commerce platforms in smaller quantities over a period of time. This looks like a planned move by them to avoid any doubts over their purchases,” a police officer said.

He also said nearly 100 kg of explosive materials were recovered from the residences of Mubin and the six persons arrested in connection with the case. Police said Mubin used to park the Maruti 800 that exploded at Khan’s house sometimes, prompting the police to question the latter on whether he has any clue about the former’s plans.

Coimbatore Police have evoked provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act against the accused and are continuing with searches in several areas.

Though there is no concrete evidence to suggest that Mubin was planning an attack on Sunday, DGP Sylendra Babu has inferred that Mubin could have been planning an attack in the future given the nature of the materials recovered from his residence.

The suspicion that the blast could have a terror angle also arose from the fact that it occurred near a temple on Sunday morning. The incident also comes weeks after an alert was sounded across the country following a ban on Popular Front of India (PFI).

Coimbatore has always been communally-sensitive especially after the 1998 blasts killed 58 people in which BJP leader L K Advani had a miraculous escape.