One hurt as steel bomb goes off in Kollam court

Kollam: A low-intensity ‘steel bomb’ exploded in the parking area of the court complex in the Kollam collectorate leaving one person injured on Wednesday. The improvised explosive device (IED), which was planted near the back tyre of a jeep belonging to the labour department, exploded with loud noise and spewing fumes  around 10.45 a.m. A splinter from the bomb struck Neerozhukkil Sabu,  61, who had come to the munsiff court- II as a witness in a case, and  was standing on the veranda of the court. He sustained deep injuries on his forehead and was taken to the district hospital.

The police suspected the involvement of some extremist groups in the incident and have formed eight teams to investigate it.  The jeep, which suffered no damage,  had  been parked at the spot since Friday last as the labour department had purchased a new vehicle and the auction to sell the vehicle was in progress.

Ms T. Saudamini, deputy labour officer,  who was working in a nearby office,  told DC, “we were frightened hearing the loud noise. It was all fumes around. The man injured in the blast was soon taken to the hospital by those who gathered there,” she said.  

The forensic team and bomb squad that rushed to the spot recovered 14 fuses and 17 batteries that were used to ignite the bomb which  was locally manufactured by filling gunpowder in a steel tiffin carrier. A circuit board used to detonate the bomb was also recovered from near the spot. The steel carrier was shredded into pieces in the explosion which the police termed as a  ‘minor’ one. The functioning of all the courts within the complex was halted for the day after the blast. A steel piece  from the bomb fell inside one of the munsiff courts in the complex.

Police IG Manoj Abraham, who visited the spot, told mediapersons that  it was a low intensity  blast and was  not meant to cause any damage as there were no splinters.  “Eight police teams will investigate  the case and the cameras installed within the complex will also be verified. The involvement of extremists groups is also suspected,”  he said. The bomb could  be made  only by those having good knowledge of  electronics, he added.  Time delay method was used to detonate it.