A day after the raids on Popular Front of India (PFI) establishments, tense situation prevails in Coimbatore and parts of west Tamil Nadu. Several vehicles and shops owned by functionaries of Hindu outfits were attacked. At least 15 government buses were attacked and stones were pelted on autorickshaws as well. Eighteen shops affiliated with RSS functionaries and sympathisers were attacked in Coimbatore, Mettupalayam, Pollachi, and Erode from Thursday night, soon after the NIA raids across the country.
On Thursday night, a bottle filled with petrol was hurled at the BJP office in Coimbatore, triggering tensions around the area. BJP party workers protested in front of their office and called it a “ terror attack” linking it to the raids against PFI. Following this, CCTV footage was collected and a few Muslim youths, according to the police sources, were picked up. But they were let out immediately after inquiry, as tension in the region increased. On Friday morning, unidentified people damaged two cars and two other vehicles belonging to the members of the BJP and Hindu Munnani.
At the Palaniappa Layout in Coimbatore, BJP district functionary Ponraj’s car, parked in front of his residence was attacked, following which he lodged a complaint with the city police. The car of BJP functionary Siva Kumar was also attacked.
In Pollachi, two cars and two autorickshaws belonging to RSS functionaries were attacked. A petrol bomb was hurled at a vehicle owned by RSS functionary Velliangiri in Pollachi. Police seized an axe and petrol bombs in these places of attack. Two shops were attacked each in Mettupalayam, Erode, and Coimbatore—all owned by RSS functionaries.
Following the attacks, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel took out a flag march in Coimbatore. “The situation is under control. We are continuously keeping vigil and monitoring the situation,” Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan told The Week. Four companies of Tamil Nadu Special Police and two companies of RAF were deployed in Coimbatore to monitor the situation, according to the police. Each of the companies has 100 police personnel.
Meanwhile, a petrol bomb was hurled at one of the RSS functionary’s houses at Chitlapakkam near Tambaram in Chennai. No casualties and property damage were reported. Only a pair of footwear was burnt, as per police sources. The incident happened at around 4 am at the house of Sitaraman, 62, the district coordinator of RSS, he was sleeping inside the house with his family members. A loud thud was heard and the family members rushed out to see as they heard the thud. Immediately the fire was put out by the family and the neighbours. Tambaram police rushed to the spot and investigations are on.
It may be recalled that the city witnessed its worst ever and the first of its terror attacks in February 1998. At least 46 people were killed and 200 were injured in the bomb blasts that occurred in Coimbatore back then. Bombs went off in 11 places. The attacks were the fallout of the arrests of 18 Muslim fundamentalists, following the murder of constable Selvaraj, allegedly by three Muslim youths in December 1997. Following this, Muslim outfit 'Al-Umma' was banned in Tamil Nadu and its founder-president S.A. Basha and 12 others were arrested in March, 1998. Ever since the 1998 communal clashes in Coimbatore, the city had largely been peaceful even when tension had prevailed on and off in the northern part of the city, particularly the Kottaimedu region.
