Coimbatore Bomb blast- Feb 14 '98 - Aug 6 '07

The serial bomb blast in Coimbatore that occured on Feb 14, 1998 (Saturday) came after 4 years and 11 months of serial blasts in Bombay which killed over 300 people. The Coimbatore blast claimed lives of 58 people - and left more than 250 injured in a series of 19 bomb blasts, causing a damage of 17.5 crore worth of properties.
when the bomb blast occured Advani, who was supposed to be present at the rally site case was not there due to the delay in the flight from Thiruvanathapuram by 3 hours. The serial blasts occured in Govt. Hospital, R.S.Puram, Sivanantha colony, Railway station, Central Bus Stand and Medical College Hospital.
The Tamil Nadu government deployed the army -- reportedly for the first time in the state's history -- to control the situation. Tight security was also evident at Marakkadai, the rally site.
Regarding this serial bomb blast case about 168 people including People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nazar Mahdani, leaders of the banned Al Umma Syed Ahmed Basha and his deputy Mohammed Ansari. were arrested. These arrests took place in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, one of the accused was held in Kolkata.
According to the SIT’s the Coimbatore bombing which had 17,000-page chargesheet, was codenamed ‘Operation Allah-u-Akbar’ and executed to avenge the killing of 18 Muslims in the communal riots and police firing triggered by the murder of a traffic police constable Selvaraj in November 1997.

The case

• February 14, 1998 : 19 bomb blasts across Coimbatore, 58 dead

• April 7, 2000 : Special Court constituted to try cases

• October 23, 2000 : Charges framed

• March 7, 2002 : Trial commences, 1,300 witnesses examined

• June 2006 : Prosecution and defence arguments begin

• April 10, 2007 : Arguments end

The trial began in March 2002. A sessions court, headed by Judge K. Uthirapathi, heard the testimony of 1,300 witnesses and cross-examined them. Today(Wednesday) Aug, 1 the court has started pronouncing its verdicts against 168 of the accused. It will first hear what the defence has to say for the next three-four days. The sentences are likely to be announced from Aug 6.

Tight security was given all the way starting from vehicles coming from Kerala, and some places like Ukkadam, Kotaimedu, N.H.Road, Majith colony, karumbukadai, Athupalam, Podhanur, Kembati Colony, Poomarket, Selvapuram, Sivanantha Colony, Rathnapuri, Kuniamuthur, sunthurapuram which were identified as 'sensitive' areas.

Among the 167 accused 153 were arrested and 14 were released. 8 members including Abdul Nazar Mahdani were released today. Among the reamining 7 one of them has already been an approver and another person has died due to illness in the jail itself. For the remaining 5 the judgment will be passed on by Aug 6th.
Pictures: K. Ananthan and Times now.tv