Panoor bomb blast: two more arrested, search on for two others

In the ongoing investigation into the Panoor bomb blast, the police have arrested two more suspects on Sunday.

Under the leadership of District Police Chief Ajith Kumar and Koothuparamba Assistant Commissioner of Police K.V. Venugopalan, a specialised team led by Panoor Inspector Premsadan has already arrested four individuals, including Athul, Arun, Shibin Lal, and Sayuj, in connection with the case. Two more suspects — Amal Babu and Mithun — have been arrested. The police said they have identified a total of twelve individuals who were present in the vicinity of the blast.

While 31-year-old Sherin lost his life, Vineesh, Vinod, and Ashwanth sustained injuries in the explosion and are receiving medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the police are hunting for key suspects Shijal and Akshay to unravel the mystery behind the bomb’s intended target.

Acting on information provided by Shibin Lal, one among the arrested, the investigation team recovered seven steel bombs concealed in bushes within a deserted field. The police suspect these explosives were moved from the construction site immediately following the blast.

Responding to the gravity of the situation, the police and dog squads are conducting thorough inspections in Panoor, Koothuparamba, Kolavallur and adjoining areas of Kannur and Kozhikode.

Condolences

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leaders expressed condolences as they visited the residence of Sherin, who lost his life in the incident. CPI(M) area committee member Sudheer and local committee member Ashokan extended their sympathies to Sherin’s family during their visit. MLA K.P. Mohanan also joined in paying respects at Sherin’s funeral.

Despite previous assertions from the leadership that those involved in the blast had no affiliation with the CPI(M), district leaders too reiterated their stance during the visit. CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan emphasised that such visits are customary in the wake of accidents, dismissing any insinuations linking the party to the incident. Mr. Jayarajan clarified that only local leaders attended, and none of the responsible leaders were present, further distancing the party from any association with the tragedy.