Chennai blasts: State police in full control of the situation, says Jayalalithaa

Chennai: Strongly refuting the allegations made by DMK leader M. Karunanidhi that state chief minister was relaxing in the hills when terror unleashed in the capital, Jayalalithaa said that state police had swung into action within minutes of the blast and took control of the situation.

“Initial investigations have also confirmed that the blast was triggered by a timer device suggesting that it was planted much before the blast took place and was most likely intended to explode in Andhra Pradesh if the Bengaluru-Guwahati Express had been on time,” Jayalalithaa said in a release.

“Besides, no terror outfit has until now claimed responsibility for the act.” Pointing out that her government was working hard to ensure that terror does not raise its ugly head in Tamil Nadu for the last 34 mornths, she lauded the state police for their earlier counter-terror initiatives including the massive operation in October 2013 that ended with arrest of Police Fakruddin, Bilal Malik, and Panna Ismail who were involved in several terror activities in the states.

“Even four days back, our police have arrested ISI man Sakir Hussain in Chennai and have thoroughly interrogated him,” the chief minster said. Mocking the claim made by DMK chief Karunanidhi that an unexploded pipe bomb was also recovered from the blast site, Jayalalithaa said that the startling statements made by Karunanidhi and his party men made one wonder they knew more about the twin blasts at the Central railway station than even the investigating agencies.

“It was during the DMK regime that the Coimbatore bomb blasts shocked the nation in 1998 besides the train blasts in 1997. Hence, he has no right to criticise anyone in this matter,” Jayalalithaa said. Calling Karuna an ‘armchair critic’, the AIADMK supremo said that Karunandhi was releasing statements without ascertaining basic facts about the incident that took place.