BJP state president K Annamalai

On Saturday, Tamil Nadu BJP president, K Annamalai, said that Chief Minister M K Stalin was misinformed about the car blast incident that happened on October 23. The BJP leader, K Annamalai, agreed with Governor R N Ravi that the car explosion that occurred in Coimbatore on the eve of Diwali was an effort to launch a significant terrorist attack. A 29-year-old engineering graduate who died in the blast was identified as Jameesha Mubin.

Annamalai questioned whether any effort was being made to verify the criminals and claimed that despite the Center’s notice being issued on October 18, little action was taken despite the existence of substantial information pointing to a terrorist strike.

At a press conference, Annamalai alleged that, “The hands of some honest police officials have been tied while a senior police officer in Coimbatore has not visited the scene of the crime”. On October 28, Governor stated that the explosives and IED-making ingredients afterwards discovered revealed that they had planned a succession of attacks while attributing the explosion to an effort to launch a significant terror strike.

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Annamalai stated that Tamil Nadu CM Stalin was receiving inaccurate information. “The Centre had issued a specific alert on October 18. Why did the officials sleep over it for four days? Why is there an attempt to downplay the terror attack as a mere cylinder blast,” the BJP president argued.

Senthil Balaji stated on Friday that Annamalai should be looked into by the NIA for leaking the information prior to the police issuing a statement. The Minister added that five people were detained in 24 hours and that the deceased was verified by the police within 12 hours after the explosion. On the Chief Minister’s recommendation, the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

In response to a question regarding State Electricity and Excise Minister V Senthil Balaji’s demand that Annamalai be probed for giving the details, the BJP president stated that he was ready to provide the relevant data if he were to be questioned.

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(With inputs from PTI)