ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

200 kg of explosives seized in Coimbatore

The Tamil Nadu police have arrested 22 people, seized 200 kilograms of explosives in Dharmapuri district and a tin box containing 12 gelatine sticks in Coimbatore as part of the statewide drive against extremists, spurred by the recent Coimbatore blasts.

Sleuths are now investigating possible links between fundamentalist organisations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said. The probe would cover the nexus between both the Hindu and Muslim fundamentalist organisations in the two states.

The police arrested 20 people at Krishnagiri, Thally, Hosur and Nathur, and seized 200 kgs of explosives and some weapons from them late on Wednesday night.

In Coimbatore, police seized 12 gelatine sticks and 27 detonators from a tin box abandoned near the Buckingham canal at Pulianthope. House-to-house searches are being carried out in several localities.

A report from Thanjavur said the crime branch police arrested one Mohammed Jinnah, 30, in connection with the February 7 bomb blast in a rice mill at Saliamangalam in which four people were killed.

Dhilavar Hussain, an activist of the banned Al-Umma, was arrested by the Madurai city police.

Talking to newspersons in Madras on his return from Coimbatore after a day's campaign, Karunanidhi said after the murder of Muslim leader Palani Baba, there had been reports of extremist elements from Kerala crossing over and establishing links with their Tamil counterparts.

The chief minister claimed that normalcy had been restored in Coimbatore. However, security would continue even after the completion of poll process on February 28. This was in deference to the requests made to him by various chambers of commerce and industry and the general public.

Replying to a question, he said the army was deployed in Coimbatore as an emergency measure. It would assist the civil administration till the election. Since the army was stationed in the nearby Madukarai barracks, it could be requisitioned at short notice.

Asked whether the powerful time bomb recovered on the arterial Anna Salai was meant for him, he said he was not worried if he was the target.

"I am willing to lay down my life if it would help put an end to religious fanaticism," he said.

Karunanidhi denied the government had failed to act on intelligence reports about possible attacks by fundamentalists. The government could not take immediate action as the reports had to be thoroughly investigated. He regretted that inflammatory speeches made by leaders of some political parties in Coimbatore had incited violence.

Asked about All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary J Jayalalitha's opposition to Justice Gokulakrishnan heading the enquiry commission (set up to look into the Coimbatore blasts), Karunanidhi said she has no moral right to talk about omissions as she had refused to concede the Opposition parties's demand for an enquiry commission into the 'Mahamagam incident.' More than 100 people died in the stampede when she and her close friend Sasikala took "holy dip" in the Kumbakonam tank; but she chose to order only an enquiry headed by a revenue officer, he said.

Karunanidhi also warned that the government would not hesitate to invoke the National Security Act against those who desecrate the statues of leaders.

Stating that he was considering to make it mandatory to obtain prior permission from the government before installing statues, he appealed to make them in bronze as it has become handy for miscreants to break and desecrate statues made of other materials.

Asked about Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K V Thangabalu's demand for a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the wake of the blasts, Karunanidhi said the government would not hesitate to ban any organisation which play havoc on the lives of innocent people.

On Congress leader Sitaram Kesri's remark that the RSS might have had a hand in the blasts, the chief minister said someone on Kesri's behalf could depose before the Commission concerned.

Asked whether he suspected the involvement of certain Muslim leaders who had been imprisoned under the Goonda Act but released after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power, he said it was not fair to jump to conclusions.

On reports that Madras is the next target, Karunanidhi said rumours triggered panic, but the police could not afford to take them lightly.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report