Source: NDTV News | Title: Anti-Terror Agency To Probe Coimbatore Car Blast Case <!–
5 men have been arrested so far in the Coimbatore blast case. (Representational)
Chennai:
A probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the Coimbatore explosion case would be recommended to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government said today.
The state government also announced raising a special police force to foil sabotage and bolster its intelligence wing.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat, the present status of investigation related to the explosion was taken up and it was decided to set up a special force to prevent similar incidents.
On October 23, 75-kg explosives were seized in Coimbatore from the residence of a man who was killed after a gas cylinder exploded.
The explosion happened while he was moving past a temple on a car in Tamil Nadu’s western textile city and he had allegedly tried to evade a police check post.
Quoting Mr Stalin’s directives to officials in the meet, the government said it was decided to recommend to the Centre to entrust the case to the NIA.
The move is considering the possibilities of links transcending Tamil Nadu borders and the likelihood of international connections emerging during the investigation of the explosion case, an official release here said.
As part of measures to further strengthen security, the government said it would set up new police stations at the three localities of Karumbu Kadai, Sundarapuram and Koundampalayam in Coimbatore.
During review of the overall law and order and security scenario, the government decided to install additional high-tech surveillance cameras in key cities of the state, including Coimbatore.
Mr Stalin directed officials to post additional personnel in the intelligence wing and protect and encourage informers.
Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu and top state and intelligence officials took part in the high-level meeting.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been invoked in the Coimbatore car explosion case and five men have been arrested so far and the state police is currently investigating the matter. In 1998, Coimbatore witnessed bomb blasts.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)