Coimbatore car blast: It was a terror attack, state govt wasn’t prompt in roping in NIA, says Tamil Nadu Governor

Ravi also praised the Tamil Nadu Police for their efficient probe after the blast, but said there was a delay on the part of the state government in handing over the case to the NIA. Stating that political parties should not be soft-pedalling on terror-related incidents and underlining the need for better coordination between all state and Central agencies, Ravi said “Coimbatore is a known place for hatching terror modules”.

“Within hours of the attack, it was clear that it was a terror attack. The materials used indicated a larger conspiracy. I credit the Tamil Nadu Police,” he said, adding that they are the most efficient police force in the country.

“But the question is when they cracked the case within hours, why did they take four days to bring in the NIA? Time is very important in terror attacks. They [terrorists] are enemies of humanity. The Tamil Nadu Police did an excellent job. But it is also an instrument… it cannot ask the NIA to come in… those who were supposed to take that call took four days to do that,” Ravi said, recalling that Tamil Nadu police provided the best information about the Popular Front of India (PFI) when he was the deputy national security adviser.

“Here, the law enforcement agency should be given a free hand. We cannot go soft on terrorism. Those who try to sabotage the progress of the country will not succeed. So, my appeal is not to go soft on them. We must be one, clear-headed, decisive, and tough in our words and actions (against terrorism),” he said.

In response to Ravi’s charges against the state government for delay in roping in the NIA, senior DMK leader and Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said each and every stage of the probe by the state police was being shared with NIA and Central intelligence agencies. Reminding that Jamesha Mubin (29), who was killed in the car blast, was questioned by the NIA in 2019, Thennarasu said the state government did not know why he was let off. “We do not have details of that. The NIA officials may be knowing it better,” he said.

Thennarasu also cited several examples of similar blasts and the time taken for the NIA to take over the probe— from a week to four months.

He said the Chief Minister M K Stalin was not only monitoring the probe but was also personally involved in measures taken to ensure a peaceful, safe and incident-free Diwali in Coimbatore and other parts of the state.