Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Friday called the Coimbatore blast on October 23 as a “terrorist incident” and questioned why chief minister M K Stalin took four days to transfer the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
“It was very clear from the materials recovered that there was a larger conspiracy. And I give credit to Tamil Nadu Police for what it did. But the question is when they got (the information) within hours, why did it take four days to (transfer the case) to the NIA. We all know that in terror attacks, timing is very important,” the Governor said while speaking at an event held in Coimbatore.
He praised Tamil Nadu police as one of the “most efficient police forces” in the country, saying he had been witness to them when he was the deputy National Security Advisor (NSA). However, he said that they have to be given a “free hand” to function by the state government. The Governor added that the materials collected and collated by the Tamil Nadu police on the now banned Popular Front of India (PFI) were the most reliable and exhaustive among those sent by several forces in the country.
“Tamil Nadu police did an excellent job, but the police is an instrument,” the Governor said. “Tamil Nadu police cannot communicate with the NIA and ask them to come. But those who were supposed to take the decision took more than three or four days,” the Governor added. He also questioned what had happened to the monitoring of agencies when the person who died in the blast was already under the radar.
{{/usCountry}}“Tamil Nadu police did an excellent job, but the police is an instrument,” the Governor said. “Tamil Nadu police cannot communicate with the NIA and ask them to come. But those who were supposed to take the decision took more than three or four days,” the Governor added. He also questioned what had happened to the monitoring of agencies when the person who died in the blast was already under the radar.
{{/usCountry}}The Coimbatore police have arrested six persons so far invoking the UAPA for their links to Jameesha Mubin, the 25-year-old main accused who was killed on the spot after one of the two LPG cylinders inside the Maruthi 800 he driving exploded near a temple in the communally sensitive Ukkadam neighbourhood in Coimbatore. NIA had questioned the deceased Mubin in 2019 for his connection with Mohammad Azharuddin who is currently in jail for the deadly Easter Sunday bombing in Sri Lankan in 2019.
The Governor said that it was clear within hours that it was a terror attack. However, the state police or the NIA which took over the case on Thursday have not used the term. The BJP has been describing it as a suicide mission which has also been denied by the police.
Industries minister Thangam Thenarasu dismissed the Governor’s criticism.
“State police officers got in touch with Central agencies immediately and Tamil Nadu is always known for sharing information with the concerned,” Thenarasu said adding that there was no delay in transferring the case to NIA.