No headway yet in Perambalur bus blast case

Special teams were pursuing the case with new theories

Breakthrough eludes special police teams probing the blast caused by a crude device on board a private bus near Perambalur on the eve of the Independence Day.

Over a month has elapsed after the crime occurred, but the teams are yet to obtain any tangible clues that could facilitate them in cracking the case.

Various angles and theories were looked into by the investigators as part of their meticulous investigations following the blast. But, nothing specific and concrete had emerged from them till now, say police sources.

The crude device went off in the jam-packed bus bound for Thuraiyur in Tiruchi district from Jayamkondam in Ariyalur district injuring 10 passengers.

The blast took place near Eachampatti on the Perambalur – Thuraiyur road on the night of August 14 when security was stepped up in connection with the Independence Day celebrations.

Sources say that this was the first time that an explosion of a crude device strapped with circuit board had taken place in Perambalur district. The device contained three electric detonators strapped to an aerated bottle containing kerosene with a circuit board and batteries attached to it.

The improvised device was kept inside a jute bag and placed beneath one of the seats of the bus. It exploded a few moments after the vehicle left Perambalur bus stand after halting there for some time.

Investigators said no pamphlets or any other incriminating materials could be found inside the bus or near the spot where the blast occurred. The modus operandi of various outfits was also looked into by the teams. The device was made of items that were easily available in the open market, police officers said. Inquiries with the bus conductor and other passengers have not yielded useful and credible clues till now. Nonetheless, the special teams were actively pursuing the case with new theories and approaches in a bid to achieve a breakthrough, say the sources.