Kerala : Blast at Malappuram Collectorate

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Nov 8, 2016, 03:29 pm IST

T Satisan, Kerala

A bomb blast in the civil station compound on November 1 was a shocking experience for the Malappuram Collectorate complex. The incident took place around 1pm under a car parked near the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. The car is reported to have been hired by the District Medial Officer (Homeopathy). Three cars parked nearby were damaged too.
Bomb Squad has confirmed, the blast was that of a bomb controlled by an electronic device. Police has recovered a paper box, a pen drive and printed pamphlet reading “Your days are counted” and it carries the picture of Osama Bin Laden! It refers to Mohammed Ahtak, the UP man alleged to have been killed for beef eating. The pamphlet ascribes the blast to the outfit called Base Movement. Base Movement is reported as the new name for Al-Umma, the extremist Islamic movement which is always reported to be linked to several terror activities in Tamil Nadu. The blast reminds of the Kollam Collectorate blast of last year. Base Movement was under the suspicion after that blast. Senior police officers in Malappuram found out that the explosive was placed in a pressure cooker under the diesel tank of the car. Reports suggest that the car was lifted off the ground in the blast. Kerala DGP Loknath Behra IPS informed the reporters about the photo of Bin Laden which has been recovered from the site. He has spoken to the central agency. NIA team investigating the Mysuru blast is going to co-ordinate with the state police for investigation into the low intensity blast in Malappuram. According to NIA the latest blast is the fourth one of that sort in South India this year. Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh (April 7), Kollam Collectorate (June 15) and Mysuru Court (August 1) are the previous ones.
It is reported that Base Movement, the underground Islamic extremist expressed its presence first in January 2015 by writing to the Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka to inform about its existence. Later on they were reported to have written to the French Consulate in Bangaluru after the Charlie Hebdo incident. The letter was a warning of serious consequences. Movement also used the message and symbol of Al Qaeda of Bin Laden.

Anti-Goonda Force: CPM digs its own grave

CPM came to power leading a LDF wave exposing the corrupt and immoral practices of Congress and UDF. “LDF will come; everything will be smooth” was their election slogan. Yes, now they are in power; and things are smooth, yes ‘smooth’ for them! They prove, day by day, that they are not different from their immediate predecessors. City Task Force (CTF) has registered the first case against CPM leaders. CTF was formed by the Kochi City Police after LDF came to power. It is the anti-goon squad. Palarivattom Police (Kochi city) has registered a case against CPM Distirct Committee member (also Area Secretary) VA Zakir Hussain and others on charges of threatening a business man in Kochi. Hussain is the prime accused. Interestingly the second accused is a DYFI leader Siddique. He has already been arrested for threatening and fleecing money from a young entrepreneurial woman. The businessman lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister against Siddique. He has been charged for abduction and threatening. CMO handed over the complaint to the police, hence the arrest!
Police does not accept Hussain’s claim that he has nothing to do with Siddique. There are reports that Hussain is in the goon list of Kalamassery police station. Story is reported like this: The said business man had a woman partner. He had availed Rs 35 lakh loan from a bank for the business and signed a contract with the woman for three years. But, after an year she went back on the contract and asked the man to leave the firm. The man moved the court; he obtained a favourable verdict. But, Siddique and team threatened and harassed him demanding him to quit the firm. Hussein remains underground and tries for anticipatory bail. Media quotes police information that Hussein has left the state. People believe that Hussein cannot escape like this sans any help from his party.
Under these circumstances Congress tries its level best to establish that they are not “far behind” CPM. Recently Congress mandal president Maradu Municipal Vice Chairman Antony Asanparambil and Congress councilor Jinson Peter have been suspended from the party. Because, Antony is the first accused in a case registered in connection with the abduction of an INTUC leader Shukkoor. Jinson is the second accused. Shukkoor has complained that he was abducted and beaten. It is reported that the dispute is concerning their illicit business and profit sharing.

—T Satisan, Kerala