One arrested in Kannur blast

Kozhikode: One person has been taken into custody in connection with the

explosion

of

country bombs

at

Ponniam

, in

Kannur

district, on Friday in which three persons were injured.

Aswanth, a local, was picked up by police from his house. He is suspected to have escaped from the site after the explosion. Aswanth is an accused in the attack on CPM rebel C O T Nazeer last year. Thalassery DSP Moosa Vallikkadan is heading the investigation.

The site where the blasts occurred is under Kathirur police station and is b suspected to be a hub for manufacturing country bombs. A temporary shed with seating arrangements made of wood and a tarpaulin roof is what remains there. Its proximity to the river was probably to ensure easy transportation.

Steel bombs were recovered from the site. Remnants of crude bombs were also found, sources said.

Even as fingers are pointed at the CPM, the party said it has nothing to do with the blasts. CPM Thalassery area secretary M C Pavithran said the incident is condemnable. He demanded a probe to bring out the truth.

Addressing media in Thiruvananthapuram, BJP state president K Surendran said a hurriedly arranged burial nearby, of a person who is said to have committed suicide, adds to the mystery.

Meanwhile, another bomb exploded at Kariyad, near Mahe, on Saturday. A family that had returned from Bengaluru found a steel container in their house. They drove to a nearby river to dispose of the container, which exploded on impact with water. Chokli police are investigating.