Another suspect held in Coimbatore car blast case, total arrests now 12

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India]: National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one more person in connection with the Coimbatore car blast case of October 2022, in which one person was killed.

The accused identified as Mohammad Idris, 25, a resident of GM Nagar in South Ukkadam of Coimbatore was arrested on Tuesday night. With this the total number of people arrested in the case related to the car blast in front of the temple in Kottaimedu in the city has gone up to 12.

The agency is expected to produce Idris before the NIA special court in Chennai today
Earlier in June, NIA had filed a supplementary chargesheet against five accused in the blast case.

“The five men charge-sheeted were been identified as Umar Farooque, Feroze Khan, Mohamed Thoufeeq, Sheikh Hidayatullah, and Sanofar Ali.

Six accused were earlier charge-sheeted by the NIA on April 20, 2023, under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and explosive substances act.

NIA had taken up investigations of the case on October 27, 2022, and has so far charge-sheeted 11 accused.

Investigations have revealed that Jamesha Mubeen, along with Mohammed Azharuddin, Umar Farooque, Sheikh Hidayathullah and Sanofer Ali, had conspired to carry out a series of suicidal terror attacks in Coimbatore city.

It further said that the investigations have revealed that two accused, Azharudeen and Afsar, had helped Jamesha Mubeen procure, mix and prime the explosives, while Md Talha had provided the car that was used in the crime.

“Three accused, Ferose, Riyaz and Nawas, had helped Jamesha load the various building blocks of the IED, including drums and gas cylinders into the car,” it added.

NIA has also said that the conspiracy was hatched in the forest area of Sathyamangalam in Erode district of Tamil Nadu, where Umar Faaruq was elected to lead the execution of the attack. He, in turn, assigned various roles to the other accused persons.

“The conspirators had planned to use the remaining explosives for a series of terror attacks,” it added. Mohammed Thoufeeq was in possession of radical books and a notepad handed over by Jamesha Mubeen containing designs to make IEDs said the NIA.

“Umar Faaruq and Jamesha Mubeen had also collected funds for the commission of the terror act, while the accused Sanofer Ali had also supported Jamesha Mubeen financially for the same,” NIA said, adding “Firose Khan had abetted the terror attack by providing logistic support.”

The case was initially registered on October 23 at Ukkadam Police Station in Coimbatore and re-registered by the NIA on October 27.