Kollam: The terrorists accused of orchestrating the bomb blast at the Collectorate in Kollam, which occurred on June 15, 2016, had meticulously planned the attack in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The Base Movement, a terrorist group, was responsible for the explosion. According to the recently disclosed charge sheet submitted to the court in April, the motive behind the blast was vengeance for the controversial encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan in Gujarat. As per the charge sheet, the accused militants had expressed their intent to challenge the nation’s sovereignty.
The comprehensive 57-page charge sheet identifies the prime suspects as Abbas Ali, Shamsoon Karim Raja, Dawood Sulaiman, and Shamsuddin. Shamsoon Karim Raja, the second accused, allegedly carried out the act by planting the bomb at the collectorate. He arrived in Kollam from Tenkasi, using a KSRTC bus the night before the incident. He then arrived at the collectorate premises around ten in the morning, placed the explosive device in a parked jeep, and subsequently departed via an autorickshaw. The explosion occurred around ten minutes after his departure.
Earlier, on May 26, 2016, the same individual had visited Kollam Collectorate and extensively photographed various locations. Subsequently, he convened with the other accused in Madurai, where they meticulously plotted and assembled the explosive device at Darul Library, situated near the residence of the primary suspect. Notably, these individuals are also implicated in similar blast cases that unfolded in Malappuram Collectorate, Nellore, Chittoor, and Mysuru.
The accused were previously found guilty in the Mysuru blast case and had been incarcerated in Parappana Agrahara Jail in Karnataka. Following their involvement in the Chittoor Blast in Andhra Pradesh, they were subsequently transferred to Chittoor Jail.
During their recent appearance in the Kollam District Court, the accused exhibited violent behavior and even shattered window glasses while in handcuffs. Notably, the Kerala Police did not heed intelligence warnings to enhance security measures within the courtroom. Consequently, the accused were relocated to Poojappura jail, given the continuation of the trial is slated for the following day.
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