Police releases blast suspect's sketch

Kozhikode, Mar 4 (UNI) In a major breakthrough, police tonight released the portrait of a main suspect involved in the powerful twin blasts that rocked this northern city in Kerala, and said the investigation had been intensified to nab the culprits.

The sketch of the suspected mastermind of the blasts at the busy Mavoor Road area yesterday, was released by Deputy Inspector General of Police (North) V Shanta Ram at a press conference here.

He said the portrait was prepared on various accounts about the assailants given by people.

He said tight security measures, including street patrol, raids at main thoroughfares, bus and railways stations, had been intensified to ensure speedy resolution of the case.

Mr Shanta Ram denied any fundamental outfit claiming responsibility for the blasts.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (District Crime Records Bureau) Xavier, heading the probe team said caricatures of the assailants were prepared with the contents provided by the three operators of public telephone booths, from where the anonymous callers gave prior information about the explosions to the District Collectorate and a newspaper office.

He said special teams have been sent to the rural areas in the district and neighbouring district of Malappuram and Thalassery in Kannur district in connection with the probe.

Additional police forces have been deployed in the district jail, where the accused in the Marad communal violence that claimed nine lives on May 2, 2003, were lodged.

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