Saravanakumar (37) a local Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary, was arrested by a special police team late on Tuesday on the charges of hurling petrol bomb at the office of the CPI (M) at Gandhipuram recently. The accused, a resident of Mettupalayam, an engineer, had worked in London for a few years. He was also teaching Yoga. Political murders of Sangh Parivar functionaries by CPI (M) in Kerala and its recurrent critical stand against BJP at the Centre triggered Saravanakumar to hurl petrol bomb at the Left party’s office, said the police. According to Ms. S. Lakshmi, DCP (Law and Order), it was a tough task to crack the case as the police had to begin with visual of two suspects on a two-wheeler passing the road in front of the party office matching to the time of attack. Examination of visuals from over 200 surveillance cameras between 4.30 a.m and 6.30 a.m. on June 17 from the party office to Mettupalayam helped the police to fix a potential suspect. “As both persons had covered their face in all visuals, probe proceeded with the two-wheeler as the only clue. It was a new vehicle with no number plate in the front and registration number in the rear plate. Since the vehicle returned to Mettupalayam after the incident, inquiries were conducted at two-wheeler showrooms in the region to find the owner. Saravanakumar’s physique also matched to one of the suspect,” said Ms. Lakshmi. According to police, Saravanakumar had left his mobile phone at home before leaving for the attack to avoid any digital signatures left to have been traced in tower dome analysis. The suspect had removed the front number plate of the two-wheeler and stickers of the registration number in the rear plate. Police later found that wrong screws were used to fasten back the front number plate. “He initially denied of having travelled to Gandhipuram on the day of attack. But the two-wheeler in the visuals was confirmed to that of Saravanakumar which he also agreed during interrogation. Though he tried to defend that someone else could have used the vehicle, he could not answer who used it,” said an official. Though quizzed several times, Saravanakumar has not revealed the name of the second person involved in the attack.
