Chargesheet in Kollam blast case filed

KOLLAM: The police on Friday  filed a chargesheet against four accused in the Kollam collectorate blast case at the Principal District and Sessions Court here. The Kollam police with the help of NIA had zeroed in on the accused having alleged connections with the extremist outfit, Base Movement.  The tiffin box bomb had exploded in the collectorate compound in June 2016 leaving a person injured.  A similar blast that took place in  the court complex in Malappuram led to the arrest of the accused. The 57-page  chargesheet has 86 witnesses and 112 records. One Ayoob  has been included as an approver. The accused were charged with  sections 3, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 20 under the UAPA, IPC 307 (attempt to murder), section 3 and 4 of prevention of damage to public property Act and sections 3,4 and 5 of explosives substances Act of 1908.

The forensic laboratory has also submitted a report to the court on the  case. The accused, all Madurai natives, Abbas Ali (27) of Ismailpuram, Shamsoon Karim Raja (22), house No. 17, Dawood Sulaiman (22), house number 23, Karimsha masjid, fort street, Nelpetta, and Shamshudeen (23) from Nelpetta in Madurai have been included in the chargesheet. The accused Shamsoon Karim Raja  confessed that he had reached the KSRTC bus stand in Kollam from Thenkasi on the day of the blast. He took an autorickshaw and entered the court complex through the east gate carrying the bomb in his handbag.

The IED set up inside a tiffin box was  planted under an abandoned  vehicle.  There were some ten people in the porch of the court at that time. He was wearing a white shirt, black pants, hat  and a sunglass. After his mission, he escaped through the west gate in another autorickshaw to reach the bus stand and left for Thenkasi.  All other accused  have been charged with conspiracy in the case.