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.
