The wave of bombings in Tamil Nadu over the past few days has kept the state in furore and prompted Governor RN Ravi to fly to Delhi to brief the Union government about the grim situation, which sparked a fresh storm of challenges to the state government and the police force. Security has been beefed up across the state and several arrests were made in connection to such incessant incidents. 

Stern warnings have been passed by Tamil Nadu's Director-General of Polie (DGP) C Sylendra Babu and patrolling has been intensified across the state. Though bombings have occurred at several places, the targets remain the same and they were either from the BJP or any Hindutva outfits. What erupted as an epicentre in Coimbatore had spread across the state and the events have become a kindling of political fire. 

The current petrol bomb attacks are unprecedented in the state and according to multiple reports, the attacks have come after places and properties of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Tamil Nadu were raided by the Central agencies as part of their national operation. Coimbatore remains tense in the wake of such attacks and the police are staying vigil and carrying out vehicle checks to locate the suspects and counter similar levels of attacks. 

As part of the countering operation, several people were apprehended and on Sunday, the police arrested two functionaries of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Coimbatore for hurling petrol bombs on the premises of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders. SDPI is a political arm of PFI and the former is accused of attacking the members of the Central ruling party in retaliation for the raids against the latter. 

The two functionaries of SDPI were arrested on Sunday based on the available inputs and evidence. Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan told the reporters that they were arrested after a prolonged technical investigation, intelligence inputs, and sifting the CCTV footage from the Kuniyamuthur area. The accused were identified as Jesuraj and Illiyas and they were taken into judicial custody. 

Balakrishnan further said that the police are closing in two more accused involved in another two cases and will bring them to book soon. He affirmed that there has been a progress in other cases and in a case of pelting stone on a government bus. The arrested SDPI functionaries were accused of pouring petrol on a car that belongs to 35-year-old Thiyagu, a Hindu Munnani functionary, on Friday.

They set the car ablaze and fled the spot.  The police have registered a case against Jesuraj and Illiyas under sections 153(A) and 435 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act. Arresting the suspects, Police Commissioner Balakrishnan said, "The city is under control and peaceful. People need not fear or panic." 

Warning from Sylendra Babu 

In what has become another ordeal of protecting law and order during his tenure, Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu has warned that the people who were found indulging in violence will be detained under the National Security Act (NSA). An official release from the DGP's office said that the state police force has arrested 19 people so far for involvement in violence. 

The DGP further said security has been enhanced in Coimbatore with the deployment of around 3,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force and the state commando force. As the wave of bombings hit the southern districts, Inspector-General of Police (South Zone) Asra Garg said all the southern districts are stationed with 20,000 policemen. 

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's trip to Delhi 

In the wake of back-to-back bombings in the state, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi is all set to visit Delhi and call on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to brief about the ongoing situation in the state. According to our sources, Ravi will be leaving Chennai for Delhi on Monday - September 26. He will take off from Chennai at 4 pm and will be staying in the national capital for four days and it has been reported that he will be back in Chennai on September 30. 

On the other hand, the Coimbatore police on September 24 arrested two men associated with Hindutva right-wing outfits for assaulting a member of the SDPI. The arrested men were identified as Padayappa and Nanda Prakash and they belong to the Bharat Sena organization. They were accused of attacking 42-year-old Jabarullah while the latter was en route to his home on Friday.