Absconding accused in 1997 bomb planting case arrested

COIMBATORE: An absconding accused wanted in connection with the planting of bombs in a commercial complex in the city in 1997 was today arrested here, after 17 years.

Based on a tip-off, the sleuths of the Special Investigation Division surrounded the house of Shahjahan at Kuniyamuthur and arrested him this afternoon, police said.

Shahjahan was reportedly in Saudi Arabia, when the special investigation team arrested 10 persons, majority belonging to the proscribed Al Umma, in connection with the case. Shahjahan and another accused Mujiboor Rahman were absconding.

Shahjahan is being interrogated by the special team, police said.

Police had recovered a bag containing bombs from an apartment of Classic Towers near the Government Hospital on December 1, 1997.

The explosives were placed to unleash terror to take revenge for the killing of 18 Muslim youths, in the aftermath of the murder of traffic constable, R Selvaraj on November 29, 1997. However, the special court trying bomb blast cases had acquitted all the accused in the case, in November 2009.