Tension gripped the Muslim-dominant Melapalayam area of Tirunelveli, after the City Police conducted a surprise search at the houses of four Muslim youth on Tuesday. The 5-hour searches, were conducted as part of the ongoing investigation of the Coimbatore car blast, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
As the police personnel entered the houses of Shaib Mohammed Ali, 35, Syed Mohammed Bhukari, 36, Mohammed Ali, 38, and Mohammed Ibrahim, 37, on Khader Maideen Moopan Street in Melapalayam around 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the locality remained tense, with additional police force was deployed. No one was allowed to leave or enter the houses.
Sources in the police said Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim was detained and deported to India by the Saudi Arabian police in 2019 after he allegedly campaigned in support of the Islamic State. On his landing in India, the NIA arrested him and conducted searches in his house, where some evidence including SIM cards were reportedly recovered. Even as he was out on bail recently, the Tamil Nadu Police have conducted searches in his house.
Though the searches reportedly did not yield any anticipated evidence, the deployment of police personnel and the search irked the residents on the street.
