THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even a month after the attack on AKG Centre, the police could not trace the culprit. Though the crime branch took over the probe, it could not get any leads so far in the case.
Meanwhile, social activist, Payichira Navas, filed a petition in the Judicial First Class Magistrate Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday seeking action against LDF convener E P Jayarajan and CPM leader P K Sreemathi as per Section 153 ( Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and Section 120B ( Criminal Conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code. The court accepted the plea and posted it for hearing on Monday. Sreemathi was present at the AKG Centre during the incident and she heard the sound of the explosion. Jayarajan arrived at the spot immediately after the incident and alleged that it was the handiwork of Congress workers.
S Madhusoodanan, SP, Crime Branch, who leads the investigation, told TNIE that they are verifying the files of the investigation done by the local police and preliminary proceedings of the probe are on.
“The preliminary probe has begun. We are checking the case file and the evidence collected by the probe team. The culprit will be booked soon,” he said.
The investigation was transferred to the crime branch by the DGP last week as the special investigation team which was probing the case could not trace the culprit. The initial probe had revealed that more than one person was involved in the attack. Though the probe team had collected CCTV footage from various houses at Kunnukuzhy and nearby areas, they could not zero in on the culprit. Though the team had sought assistance from C-DAC for retrieving CCTV footage, it did not yield required results.
The probe team had verified nearly 70 CCTV cameras in and around AKG Centre. Besides, more than 20 Congress activists were under police scanner for sharing posts on social media regarding the attack. A youth from Chenkottukonam was taken into custody for his Facebook post that he would hurl stones at AKG Centre. However, the interrogation revealed that he had nothing to do with the incident.
The Cantonment police had registered a case under the Explosives Act and IPC Section 436, which deals with mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy the building.The incident took place around 11.20 pm on June 30 when a man on a scooter hurled an explosive at the front gate of the AKG Centre. Later, in the forensic examination, it was found that the explosive was a cracker. The issue triggered a state-wide protest by CPM alleging that it was a handiwork of Congress workers.