Pipe bombs seized in Madurai, three held

Three persons have been arrested in connection with seizure of two pipe bombs from a tailoring shop here, police said today.
While two persons, Abdullah and Abdul Rahman were arrested here yesterday, their accomplice Khader was apprehended this morning near the Madurai Medical college in this connection, they said.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that the bombs made by one Mohammed Osama, President of Muslim Munnani Pasarai, from Cumbum in Theni district, were brought to Madurai with a view to eliminate Hindu Munnani leader Rama Gopalan, they said.
Abdullah had confessed that the plot to kill Ramagopalan was made two months ago during a meeting with one Basha, and they had planned to carry it out at the 9th Hindu Rights' Retrieval conference that is currently underway at Palladam in Coimbatore.

However, they could not smuggle the pipe bombs to Palladam from Madurai due to the security checks following Jallikattu agitations at different places, and had left the bombs with one Abdul Rahman of Pudur, he told the police.
Abdullah had participated in the agitation in support of jallikattu, held in this city, police said.

A close watch was kept on him as he was found moving suspiciously between Pudur and Tamukkam with a bag yesterday and was later picked up for questioning.
Based on his confession, Khader was also nabbed.
The pipe bombs of high intensity had been seized from a tailoring shop in Pudur, which is owned by Abdul Rahman, police added.