The Tamil Nadu police on Monday, October 24 arrested five people in connection with the car explosion incident in Coimbatore’s Ukkadam on Sunday. The accused were identified as Mohammad Thalka (25), Mohammad Asarudheen (25) of Ukkadam; Mohammad Riyaz (27), Feroz Ismail (27) and Mohammad Navaz Ismail (27) of GM Nagar.
Police confirmed that the accused were with the deceased, Jamesha Mubeen, moving things into the car. On October 24, Tamil Nadu police intensified its investigation into the car explosion incident in the city, even as CCTV footage showed a group of men carrying a gunny bag from the house of Jemesha Mubeen, who was killed in the blast.
Police said that the accused were arrested on the basis of the CCTV footage near the house that showed five people purportedly taking out a gunny bag from Mubin's house around 11.25 pm on Saturday, October 22. State Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu had said that “low-intensive” explosive material including potassium nitrate, used in making country bombs, was recovered from the house of Mubeen.
The incident took place at around 4 am near the Kottai Eswaran temple in Ukkadam. Mubeen was charred to death when a gas cylinder in the car in which he was travelling, exploded on October 23. Nails, marbles, and some other items were found in the vehicle, the DGP had earlier said. Six special teams were formed to investigate the case.
Ukkadam, which is located in central Coimbatore, is a communally sensitive area. Following the blast, all shops in the vicinity of Kottai Eswaran Temple were closed, and police cordoned off the entire region. Police also stationed a large number of officers in Ukkadam and nearby areas to avoid any untoward incidents.