Tension in Kerala as Madani arrest imminent

Cochin: There is tension building up in Kollam amid reports that People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nasar Madani will be arrested soon.

Police sources have said the 2008 Bangalore blasts case accused is likely to be arrested "any time now," and are waiting outside the gate of his house.

There is massive mobilisation of police at Anwarssery in Kollam, which is Madani's native place. Police have cordoned off about 1 km around the area.

Section 144 has been imposed amid reports of some PDP workers pelting stones at the gathered media and police. They have also locked the gate of Madani's house.

The police have asked Madani's supporters camping inside his house-cum-orphanage complex to leave the premises. Around 300 supporters of Madani are at his residence preventing police from arresting him.

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Police have also served a notice to Madani seeking his cooperation in executing the arrest warrant. As the police was not allowed to enter the premises, they have pasted the notice on the gate.

The PDP leader, who was earlier an accused in the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case which claimed 58 lives, and was later acquitted, has made it clear that he would cooperate in the arrest and continue to fight his legal battle. Madani also held talks with Muslim religious leaders and assured them that he will cooperate with the arrest.

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Madani has filed an anticipatory bail plea in the Supreme Court. His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Karnataka High Court last week.

A Karnataka Police team has been camping in Kerala for a few days awaiting the Kerala police's nod to arrest Madani, whose anticipatory bail plea in the Bangalore blasts case has been rejected by the Karnataka High Court.

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Amid reports that the Kerala government has been wary of the arrest of Madani - who enjoys a substantial support in that area - fearing law and order problems,  Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had earlier said they were waiting for President Pratibha Patil's visit to the state to finish before the arrest was made.

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Balakrishnan said that he had talked to his Karnataka counterpart V S Acharya Balakrishnan and that there was no misunderstanding between the two governments and that any "controversy" over the matter was a media creation.

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He had said the arrest warrant would be executed at an appropriate time after Patil's visit, adding that security arrangements for her were important for the state government.