In a significant breakthrough, Coimbatore police have arrested Sadiq Raja, the prime accused in the 1996 Coimbatore bomb blast case, after nearly three decades of evading arrest. He was apprehended from Vijayapura in Karnataka, where he had been living under a false identity.
Sadiq Raja, a native of Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district, had been absconding since the 1996 blast. According to police sources, he frequently moved across states—first relocating from Tamil Nadu to Bengaluru, then to Hubballi, and eventually settling in Vijayapura. For the past 12 years, he had led a low-profile life, working as a vegetable vendor and living under an assumed name. He had also married a local woman in Hubballi, further helping him blend into the community.
Investigations have revealed that Sadiq Raja was not only involved in the 1996 Coimbatore blast but also played a role in other major incidents, including blasts in Madurai and Nagore. He is believed to have used multiple identities to avoid detection and maintain anonymity while shifting across locations.
The arrest came after the Coimbatore police acted on specific and credible intelligence. The operation was conducted with utmost secrecy, with details withheld even from the local police in Vijayapura until the final stages. A joint team of Tamil Nadu’s Anti-Terrorism Squad and Coimbatore City Police led the operation.
A senior police officer involved in the case stated, "Sadiq kept changing his name and residence to avoid arrest. After years of tracking, we finally zeroed in on his location and confirmed his identity through interrogation and inputs from other accused."
Following his arrest, Sadiq Raja was taken into custody and transported to Tamil Nadu for further questioning and legal proceedings.
Chief Minister M K Stalin took to X to appreciate the efforts of the Anti-Terrorism Squad established in 2023 in nabbing Tailor Raja from his hideout in Karnataka.
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This arrest marks a major success for law enforcement agencies involved in solving long-pending terror cases. Authorities believe Sadiq's interrogation may provide vital leads about other fugitives and dormant terror networks operating in South India.
Further investigations are ongoing.
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