Caught On CCTV, 3 Coimbatore Car Blast Accused Carrying Suspicious Objects

Five men have been arrested for their alleged role in car explosion outside a temple in Coimbatore on Sunday in which a person was charred to death.

Jameesha Mubin was killed when one of the two cylinders he was carrying in a car exploded near a temple in Ukkadam area early on Sunday. The police investigation suspects a terror link after huge quantities of explosives were found at his house.

Investigators claim Jameesha Mubin was helped by his three friends - Nawaz Ismail,  Firoz Ismail and Mohamed Riaz - to load the cylinders and low-intensity explosive materials into the car despite knowing about his plans.

Another suspect Mohamed Azharudin, police say, was involved in coordination while another man Thalka, a scrap dealer, had given an old Maruti car free of cost for the operation.

CCTV footage NDTV can't independently verify shows the accused carrying heavy objects from a house. 

Police have recovered explosive chemicals from the home of Jameesha Mubin. Investigators say the explosion that killed the carrier doesn't appear to be a suicide mission. However, they suspect the intent was to cause major damage and the explosion could be an accident.

In 2019, Jameesha Mubin was questioned by National Investigative Agency, or NIA, for links with a man arrested in Kerala for alleged links with the suspected ringleader of the Colombo Easter Bomb Blasts that killed at least 250 people.

Ever since Jameesha Mubin, who police say is a self-radicalised person lied low and is suspected to have received help from some groups as well.

Tamil BJP Chief K Annamalai has called the explosion "a never seen before suicide attack under DMK rule" and has questioned Chief Minister MK Stalin's silence on the matter.

"Would you wait till loss of life," he asked.

Six police teams have been formed to investigate the case.