Chennai:
Differences between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government threaten to hobble the investigation into the
twin blasts that took place aboard the Guwahati-Bangalore Express after it arrived at the Chennai Central railway station on Thursday morning. The explosions claimed the life of a young woman, and left 14 others injured. (
Woman Killed In Twin Explosions on Train was TCS employee)
The Union home ministry wants the blasts to be treated as a case of terror attack, but the Jayalalithaa government differs. It has turned down the National Investigation Agency's offer of help, and has, instead, registered a criminal case for offences under Explosive Substances Act, murder and damage to railway property. (Images:
Blasts at Chennai Railway Station)
The state police has also denied reports that they have detained a few suspects.
Sources point out that the blasts, described as low intensity explosions, could have been triggered by a timer device. A senior police officer who was overseeing investigation before the case was transferred to the CBCID told NDTV, "We suspect a Bangalore-based module is behind this. Obviously the bomb was planted in Bangalore, there is no doubt about that, we are taking this seriously, in my opinion it is a terror attack." But the terror angle was eventually discarded, and a simple "criminal case" registered by the CBCID. (
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The Guwahati-Bangalore Express train was scheduled to arrive at the Chennai station around 5 am, and it was already two hours late when it entered the Chennai Central railway station. This has triggered speculation on whether the blasts were originally timed to disrupt Narendra Modi's rallies in Nellore and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh. The Tamil Nadu police, however, dismissed this theory. (
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"We are probing many angles, it's premature to conclude anything now," said Anoop Jaiswal, Director General of Police (Elections).
The blasts have given the opportunity to DMK chief M Karunanidhi to attack the government led by his arch-rival, Jayalalithaa. "It could have been averted if the police had properly questioned the recently arrested alleged ISI operative Sakir Hussein," he claimed. (
Security Enhanced in Delhi after Chennai Blasts)