Coimbatore cylinder blast: Tamil Nadu Police find raw materials for explosives from deceased's house

Tamil Nadu police recovered potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, charcoal, and sulphur – materials used to make country bombs – from Mubin’s residence. The police is investigating a few contacts of Jamesha Mubin, a 25-year-old engineering graduate, after they recovered materials from his house.

The Tamil Nadu cylinder blast case witnessed a major development on Sunday after the state police ruled out the possibility of a suicide attack and claimed to have identified the person who was charred to death in an alleged explosion.

The DGP for Tamil Nadu, Sylendra Babu, revealed the case specifics and said that Jameza Mubin was the victim of a fatal attack. Additionally, he said that during searches of Mubin's home in the Kottaimedu neighbourhood of Ukkadam, police found materials required to construct rudimentary explosives, including as potassium nitrate, aluminium, and sulphur. The police further said that they have found ball bearings and nails near the explosion site.

Based on the materials found, the authorities ruled out the idea of a suicide attack because the explosion happened when the chemicals were at his house and the nails and bail bearing were in the car. They insisted that the individual was not connected to any groups, though.

"He does not belong to any organisations. He was investigated by the NIA in 2019, and the NIA has charges against him," the DGP said.

The incident, according to BJP minister K. Annamalai, was concealed from the public for more than 12 hours and was a "clear-cut terror act with linkages to ISIS."

In the early hours of Sunday, a gas cylinder placed in a car allegedly burst, engulfing it in flames, and killing a person who was inside the car. This happened in the Ukkadam neighbourhood of the city. Following the event, all of the stores close to Kottai Easwaran Temple were shuttered, and a significant number of police officers were stationed there.