A day after a low intensity IED went off in a parked car near a court in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said it was an effort to ruin the peaceful situation in the state and that only a comprehensive probe would clarify the reasons behind it.
"It is an effort to ruin the peaceful situation in Kerala. Only a comprehensive probe will bring clarity on the reasons behind the explosion," he said.
He was replying to a notice for an adjournment motion in the Assembly, moved by the Congress-led UDF Opposition on fears triggered due to the blast.
The Chief Minister said though it was an isolated incident, government viewed it very seriously and added that police would make all efforts to nab those behind the blast.
Vijayan said there should not be any interpretation on the reasons for the blast. "Let the probe go on. It will be carried out by police," he said.
The CM said a special team led by Malappuram Narcotic Cell DYSP P T Balan has been entrusted with the probe.
On recovery of a hand-box with the words 'Base Movement' on top from the site, he said "police are looking into all aspects... Whether it was placed there to mislead or to give any indication or coincidence. A pen drive was also found from the spot," he said.
With regard to a similar blast at Civil Station in Kollam last June, he said the probe in the case was progressing.
Giving details of yesterday's blast, Vijayan said the car of the District Home Officer, in which the blast occurred and a vehicle parked nearby were damaged.
"The car driver and the doctor were inside the office when the blast occurred," he said.
However, he said "there was no situation prevailing in the region that warranted a debate in the house."
A very low intensity Improvised Explosive Device had gone off in a car parked near the Judicial First Class Magistrate court inside the civil station here yesterday, but no one was injured.
P Ubaidulla (IUML) from Malappuram,who raised the matter, said government should view the incident very seriously as he suspected it was an attempt to destroy the peaceful atmosphere of Malappuram, a region dominated by the Muslim community.
"The incident has created fear and concern among people in the area. There is suspicion that it is a deliberate attempt to destroy peaceful coexistence among people."
With regard to 'Base Movement', he said people in the region had not heard about any such outfit. "There is a propaganda to spread a false message that Malappuram has become a hideout for terror outfits", he added.
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Intervening on the issue, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said it was a serious matter that police had failed to make any breakthrough in the Kollam blast.
"It is strange that government has now entrusted the probe of the Malappuram blast with the same team of police officials who investigated the Kollam incident," he said.
"The incidents are a signal for the need to strengthen the state police intelligence and special branch wings. Certain forces in the state are working to tear down the communal harmony in the state", Chennithala added.
The lone BJP member O Rajagopal staged a walkout in protest against government's "lacklustre attitude" towards such incidents.
