Centre orders NIA probe into Coimbatore car blast

The Central government on Thursday ordered a National Investigation Agency NIA probe into the October 23 Coimbatore LPG cylinder explosion in a car considering the possibility of crossstate developments and the role of international elements in the investigationThe CounterTerrorism and Counter Radicalization CTCR division of the Ministry of Home Affairs MHA issued the order a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recommended a NIA probe in the caseA top government official said that the NIA will take over the case very soonStalin in a recommendation letter to the MHA had requested on Wednesday to transfer the investigation of the case related to the car cylinder explosion in the Ukkadam area in Coimbatore to the NIA and directed police to ensure security in CoimbatoreStalins recommendation followed a detailed review meeting held on Wednesday at the Head Office under the leadership of the Chief Minister regarding the ongoing investigation of the caseAlso read Food poisoning kills three boys at Tamil Nadu orphanage homeTamil Nadu Police so far has arrested six people in connection with the case and have invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPAThose arrested are learnt to be associates of Jameesha Mubin who was charred to death in suspicious circumstances after an LPG cylinder inside a Maruti 800 he was driving exploded near a temple in Coimbatore around 4 am on October 23According to police Mubin 25 an engineering graduate has been previously questioned by the NIA in 2019 for alleged terror links His name is mentioned as the primary accused in the caseFive people arrested on Monday night were Mohammad Thalka 25 Mohammad Asarudheen 25 Muhammad Riyaz 27 Feroz Ismail 27 and Mohammad Navaz Ismail 27 However the sixth person identified as Afsar Khan a relative of the deceased was arrested earlier on Thursday Khan is the cousin of the deceased He was picked two days before by the special investigation teamOn Wednesday noon Police officials also conducted searches on Khans residence and took his laptopSince the explosion occurred in Ukkadam a communally sensitive area the states top police officers including Director General of Police DGP Sylendra Babu and Additional DGP law and order Thamarai Kannan rushed to the spotThe DGP on Sunday said the police found materials used to make explosives in Mubins house in Ukkadam They seized 75 kgs of potassium nitrate charcoal aluminium powder and sulphur which can be used to make explosivesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever