The city police probing the Sunday evening bomb blast on Church Street have contacted their Tamil Nadu counterparts to verify the activities of the terror module formed from the remnants of Al Ummah, who were involved in the April 2013 Malleswaram blast.
A Special Investigation Division (SID) of Crime Branch – Criminal Investigation Department, Tamil Nadu police, is investigating into the assassination of Hindu right-wing leaders in the State in which the module was allegedly involved. The terror module is also said to be involved in the Bengaluru-Guwahati train blast at the Chennai Central Railway Station in May this year that killed two persons. The kingpin of the terror module, Abubacker Siddique, is at large.
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Police are not discounting a recent threat tweet to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Abhishek Goyal, threatening retribution after the arrest of pro-IS tweeter Mehdi Masroor Biswas.
City Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi has announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the Sunday evening blast. The probe is likely to be headed by Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials. A special team of sleuths from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) rushed to the spot within minutes of the blast.
Sources say the police are working on three fronts. The police have collected remnants of the explosive material, shrapnel and other material found on the scene of crime. A special team of police officials have started collecting CCTV footage from various commercial establishments on Church Street and also from M.G. Road, Brigade Road and Museum Road. The footage will be analysed for any suspicious movement of men or vehicles. The absence of CCTV cameras at the gate of the restaurant, Coconut Grove, was a major setback, the police said. Another official said a special team was already analysing the mobile call records in and around Church Street on Sunday.
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