CHENNAI, MARCH 15: Police recovered a parcel bomb addressed to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Masanamuthu from Rajaji Salai post office on Friday. City police have recommended handing over the case to the Crime Branch - Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.Police said that while sorting out the letters on Friday morning, the Chief Sorting Officer Ranganathan noticed a parcel with wires protruding out. The parcel seemed to have been dispatched from Adyar on Thursday. Immediately, Ranganthan informed the North Beach police station after which commandos defused the bomb.The bomb contained two detonators and four cells. The circuit was connected in such a way that as soon as the parcel was opened, the connecting switch would go off, resulting in a blast. The impact could kill the person opening the parcel and injure others around. A pamphlet of `Islamic Defence Force' was found inside. Following this, all parcels coming to the Police Commissioner's office werescreened.The whole issue was kept under wraps by the city police. Several police officers were unhappy with the decision to hush up the issue as it involved the life of a police officer. They felt that the security granted by the state government, a stengun-wielding Personal Security Officer and two constables to guard his house, was inadequate.Masanamuthu has been on the hit-list of Al-Umma ever since the crack-down on Kovai Batcha at Kottaimedu in Coimbatore in 1992 when Ganeshan was the Commissioner of Police. Even after Ganeshan retired, he was provided with security in Coimbatore.Masanamuthu was also involved in shooting down several Muslims during the riots in Coimbatore in November last year. This resulted in Muslim organisations demanding an enquiry and the shifting of Masanamuthu from the place. Following an outcry, the police officer was shifted from Coimbatore to Chennai. It is said that he continues to receive threatening calls from the banned outfits.
