Tamil Nadu blast accused held in Karnataka after 27 years

COIMBATORE: After evading arrest for the past 27 years in the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts that killed 58 people and left 250 others injured, a key accused, A Sadiq (50), alias Tailor Raja, was arrested from a vegetable market at Vijayapura in Karnataka.

Acting on a tip-off, a Coimbatore police team camped in Vijayapura and monitored the movement of Sadiq, and arrested him Wednesday from his shop. Tamil Nadu anti-terrorism squad played a crucial role in the operation. According to sources, Sadiq was a resident of Bilal Estate at Ukkadam, Coimbatore, in 1998. A hardcore Al-Umma cadre, he was an expert in making improvised explosive devices.

Sadiq also linked to 1996 petrol bomb attack in Coimbatore
He had rented a house at Vallal Nagar in Coimbatore, where bombs were manufactured and stored. He distributed bombs to several Al-Umma cadres days before the blasts. Following the serial bombings on Feb 14, Sadiq escaped to Hubballi in Karnataka, where he worked as a daily wage labourer. He married a woman there and had three children, sources said.

"He moved to Vijayapura with his family members 15 years ago, where he changed his name to Shajahan. He got an Aadhaar card, driving licence and other documents under the name Shajahan. Initially, he worked at the market and later ran a shop selling chillies," said a police officer who was part of the team.

"During interrogation, Sadiq denied involvement in the serial bomb blasts. He was shocked about how the police traced his whereabouts," the officer added.

Sadiq was remanded in judicial custody till July 24, and subsequently lodged at Coimbatore central prison. ATS plans to take him into custody soon for further investigation. Sadiq was also involved in the 1996 petrol bomb attack in Coimbatore, which resulted in the death of a jail warden. Besides, he played a role in the murder of a person in Nagore in 1996 and the 1997 murder of a jailor in Madurai.