PremiumNEW DELHI : The National Investigation Agency launched simultaneous searches at 43 locations in Tamil Nadu and one location in Kerala in the follow up the Coimbatore bomb blast case.
“These searches were conducted in eight districts of Tamil Nadu namely Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvallur, Thiruppur, Nilgiris, Chengalpatu, Kanchipuram and Nagapattinam. One location had also been carried out in the Palakkad district of Kerala," read an official statement.
The searches were made in connection to a case pertaining to a bomb blast in a car laden with explosives in front of Kottai Eswaran Temple of Coimbatore district on 23 October, 2022.
According to preliminary investigations, accused Jamesha Mubeen, allegedly after taking oath to ISIS, was planning to carry out a suicidal attack and cause extensive damage, with the intention to strike terror among a particular section of community, according to a statement from NIA.
“The case was initially registered with the police station in Ukkadam, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu on 23 October 2022, and re-registered by NIA on 27 October, 2022.
During the searches conducted today, digital devices and incriminating documents, were seized from the houses of the suspects.
Six accused persons have been arrested in this case so far. The NIA said that the accused persons had conspired with deceased Jamesha Mubeen to procure different chemicals and other ingredients for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IED), including vehicle-borne IED, from online shopping platforms to commit terrorist acts.
Further investigations are in progress, the agency added.