Tamil Nadu police seizes arms in raid on Al Uma hideout

A huge cache of explosives was seized and two youths arrested in a Tamil Nadu police commando raid on the hideout of fundamentalist group Al Uma in Kodungaiyur on the outskirts on Madras.

Director General of Police K K Rajasekharan told reporters after briefing Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that a major act of violence that could have claimed numerous lives was averted by the raid on Tuesday, March 11.

The arrested are Mohammed Khan alias Sirajuddin (26), brother of Al Uma organiser Basha and Shahul Hameed alias Abdar (22).

The explosive devices seized were similar to that used for the blasting of the Tamil Nadu Rashtriaya Swayam Sevak Sangh headquarters and Hindu Munnani headquarters here a few years ago.

The first incident had claimed 11 lives and the second two lives. The explosion in two city hotels also was caused by similar devices, an official release said.

Karunanidhi informed the state assembly about the seizure and the arrest after inspecting the cache and a briefing by Nair and city Police Commissioner V K Rajagopalan.

Leader of the Opposition S Balakrishnan, Indian National League member M A Latheef and other opposition leaders were also shown the seized articles.

Nair said the two arrested youths were being a interrogated for other links and the targets of their mission. The youths hailing from Coimbatore had occupied the house at Kodungayur for over a week ago.

On receipt of information about the activities at the house last evening, a commando force was deputed.

By 3 am IST about 40 commandos took up positions. While Mohammed Khan was immediately arrested, Shahul Hameed tried to escape but was caught, he said.

The 88 items seized by the police included stainless steel containers with explosives, PVC pipe bomb, black improvised explosive device, yellow improvised plastic explosive, electric detonators, safety fuse pieces, empty aluminum green painted containers, commercial gelatine sticks, gelatine loose powder, cable, radio antenna, transistor, bichuva, veecharuval, crowbar and iron hammer.

The seizure of the explosives came in the wake of a few murders in the state which had inflamed communal passions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had sent a three-member Parliamentarians' delegation to the city which after visiting several sensitive places submitted a report to the chief minister.

It alleged that the Pakistaini outfit, Inter-Services Intelligence had taken roots in the state and fundamentalism was on the rise.

Asked whether any of the seized articles were of foreign origin Nair replied in the negative.

Karunanidhi ordered the raising of a Rapid Action Force and the intelligence apparatus was also strengthened after the recent killing of some BJP activists and Jihad Committee convenor Palani Baba.

This is the first major seizure of explosives by the Tamil Nadu police in recent years unrelated to Sri Lankan extremist activities.

However, the real brain behind the explosion at the RSS headquarters as also the Hindu Munnani office are still at large. The killers of Hindu Munnani President Rajagopalan are also yet to be nabbed.

UNI