7 NIA officials led by inspector begin probe into Coimbatore blast

New Delhi, Oct 31: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday officially commenced the probe into a cylinder explosion in car in which one person was killed in front of a temple in the city on October 23.

Led by NIA SP, Srijith, a team of NIA officials went to the spot and inspected the area in the vicinity of the temple and to collect further evidence, police said. They inquired about the incident with the priest of the Kottai Eswaran Temple, Sundareshan, police said. The team has plans to visit the house of Jamesha Mubin, the victim of the explosion, a few metres away from the spot. The City Police who have investigated the case have handed over to NIA all the evidence and documents with regard to the explosion on Saturday, days after the Tamil Nadu government decided to hand over the probe to the premier investigation agency that probes terror-related matters.

An office space has been allotted to NIA on the premises of Armed Reserve at the Police Recruits School on Avanashi Road temporarily. There are 7 officials led by by an Inspector as the investigating officer, police said, news agency PTI reported.

More than 10 police personnel were provided to assist the NIA in the investigation, they added.

An early morning cylinder explosion in the car at the communally sensitive Ukkadam area had sent shock waves here and across the state, with Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi describing it an attempt to unleash terror act.

The police, as part of its probe earlier, had recovered 75-kg of low intensity explosive material that goes into the making of country bombs, even as six persons have been arrested so far in connection with the explosion.