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Combing operation on

— Photo:T. Singaravelou

PROBE MISSION: Police personnel looking for clues at Vanarapet in Puducherry on Sunday.

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry police have launched a crackdown on anti-socials, not ruling out a link between the blast that occurred on the railway track near the railway station and a country bomb attack on a house at Vanarapet on Saturday.

Senior Superintendent of Police Chhaya Sharma, Law and Order, told reporters on Sunday that the combing operation was conducted following a directive from Chief Minister N. Rangasamy.

On the two separate incidents that happened on Saturday, she said, “We have not ruled out the links. The substances used in the two bombs are similar.”

She said that four persons were arrested in connection with the attack on the house of the political leader.

The attack was the fallout of a “domestic dispute,” she said.

The police believe that the accused should have entered the FCI godown to “plan the attack as it was a safe place.” The political leader’s house was barely 500 meters from the FCI godown, she added.

Ms. Sharma said that only after the arrest of a key member of the gang that hurled the bomb, the connection could be established.

“It’s a matter of investigation, but as of now, we have not ruled out the link,” she said.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy had convened a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation.

He had directed the police to step up patrolling and take stern action against organised criminals and bootleggers, Ms. Sharma said.

Combing operation was conducted in Thengathittu, Vanarapet and Mudliarpet areas in the last 24 hours. She appealed to the people to cooperate with the police as they planned more such operations in the days to come. Police have also decided to monitor cracker manufacturing units at Ariankuppam, she said.

Shortly after holding the meeting with senior officials, Mr. Rangasamy said that a solatium of Rs. one lakh would be given to the parents of V. Ajithkumar, who was killed in the explosion.

He also announced a solatium of Rs. 50,000 to the family of Senthamizhselvan, who was undergoing treatment for serious injuries at the General Hospital and Rs. 25,000 for the two children who sustained minor injuries.

The Puducherry unit Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam A. Anbalagan and convener of the local unit of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam R. V Janakiraman have demanded a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the family of Ajithkumar.

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