Those involved in the December 5 petrol bomb attack in the city were successful only in their second attempt after the police had inadvertently foiled their first attempt on Kamajar Salai the same day.
One person was hacked to death and four others were injured in the attack on Anuppanadi Road after the assailants hurled a petrol bomb at around 11.30 a.m. The targets were the accused in a case of petrol bomb attack on a vehicle on the Ring Road on October 2012 in which seven persons were killed and 13 others sustained burns.
“Actually, the assailants were waiting near the Kamarajar Salai-Kuruvikaran Salai junction for the accused who were coming in a convoy of a passenger vehicle escorted by three motorcycles. Their plan was to attack the vehicles while the targeted persons were going to the District Courts complex to sign the register at the Judicial Magistrate Court VI as per their bail condition,” the police said.
The plan was revealed by Ponnumani, one of the accused, during interrogation by the Teppakulam police.
However, somebody had alerted the police on sensing trouble after noticing the suspicious movement of the assailants at the spot at around 9.45 a.m. A police team arrived at the spot and started questioning them. “It was at this moment that the targeted persons had crossed the spot. With police presence there, they could not execute their plan,” the police said.
However, the assailants had diverted the police by claiming that they were construction workers and were waiting for a pick-up vehicle. “After we unknowingly foiled the first attempt, the assailants re-grouped near Anuppandi Road and struck at the target on their return,” the police said.
