Chennai: In an unexpected development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has decided to probe an incident in which two petrol bombs (Molotov cocktail) were hurled by a history-sheeter outside the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan last month. Sources said the agency has registered a case in connection with the incident.
The petrol bombs had landed near the police barricade and no damage was reported to the Raj Bhavan premises in the incident. However, the Raj Bhavan had in a complaint alleged that assailants had attempted to barge into its campus and hurled petrol bombs in which the main entrance gate was extensively damaged.
All evidence points to Karukka Vinod
Top police officers including the Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal had convened a press conference where CCTV camera footage was released to establish that only a lone man, identified as Karukka Vinod was involved in the attack. The police had pointed out that Vinod was previously involved in incidents of hurling of petrol bombs at the a TASMAC liquor outlet, the Teynampet Police Station and Kamalalayam, the State BJP headquarters. The police said he was released from jail after almost a year and within days headed to the Raj Bhavan to hurl Molotov cocktails.
Accused detained under Goondas Act
Vinod has since been detained under the Goondas Act. However, the Raj Bhavan had alleged that the accused was produced before the Magistrate at midnight and remanded in jail thereby killing fair investigation.
Later the police had taken Vinod under their custody and interrogated him. Police sources said it appeared unlikely that Vinod was involved with any extremist or fundamentalist groups to warrant a probe by the NIA.
“In any case, we will hand over the case files to the NIA as and when the agency communicates with us,” a police officer in Chennai said.
