NIA registers case to probe Coimbatore blast

New Delhi: The NIA on Friday registered a complaint to probe the recent car blast that took place near a temple in Coimbatore, officials said.

A senior National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer said the federal agency has re-registered the case that was first booked by the Tamil Nadu Police.

The decision came after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin recommended an investigation by the NIA into the Sunday blast in which an engineer was killed.

The Tamil Nadu government had said the decision to recommend the probe to the central anti-terror agency was taken as there was involvement of factors "extraneous to the state" and "possible international links".

On October 23, 75 kg of explosives, including potassium nitrate, were seized from the residence of 29-year old Jameesha Mubeen who was killed after a gas cylinder exploded in a car he was travelling in. Mubeen is suspected to have played a key role in a conspiracy bid to carry out sabotage activities here.

The Deepawali eve explosion happened while he was moving past a temple in the car in Coimbatore and he had tried to evade a police check post.

Six people have so far been arrested by the state police in connection with the case.