Coimbatore: Two persons were held for hurling petrol bombs at the district BJP office near VKK Menon road in the early hours of Wednesday here.
A police officer said, "We believe this is a reaction from members of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) to the controversial statements posted on social media by BJP national secretary H.Raja in connection with the statue of Periyar."
The incident took place at around 3.45 am on Wednesday. The first bomb blasted while police deployed for protection were resting inside the party office.
Before police could come out, a three-member gang hurled the second bomb and escaped from the spot. However, no major damage was reported, as they had used beer and quarter bottles for petrol filled bombs.
On receiving information, assistant police commissioners Suresh and Ramesh Krishna along with experts from the bomb squad and a fingerprint expert rushed to the spot and launched an investigation.
Three special teams were immediately deployed, these led by Deputy Commissioner Perumal to nab the offenders. After inspecting CCTV footage installed at the party office, police identified two persons within a few hours.
Police took them to custody and during investigation they confessed to the crime. They were identified as Balan 35 from Kavundampalayam and Jeevanandham 38, coordinator of Thanthai Periyar Dhravidar Kazagam (TPDK).
Special team police have launched a search for three more persons who accompanied the duo during the incident.
Meanwhile, a group of lawyers staged a protest in front of the court complex on Wednesday, condemning BJP national secretary H.Raja and his controversial statement. They raised slogans demanding his arrest and also set fire to his pictures. A similar protest was staged by the members of the Dravidar Kazhagam at Sundarapuram on the Coimbatore-Pollachi road on Wednesday against Raja. Following the tense situation, additional police force have been deployed at the BJP party office.
