The DGP stated that it was because of the alert police personnel at Raj Bhavan that the accused had been restrained.
Jiwal assured that a prompt and full-fledged investigation will be conducted into the petrol bomb attack incident.
A day after Tamil Nadu police dismissed as “contrary to the truth” the claims made in a Raj Bhavan complaint on the incident in which a man hurled petrol bombs at the Governor’s residence in Chennai, it released video footage on Friday, 27 October, to buttress its assertion.
A history-sheeter named “Karukka” Vinodh was, on 25 October, arrested from the spot for hurling a petrol bomb towards Raj Bhavan.
A Raj Bhavan complaint on the incident claimed that more than one person was involved and that when they tried to enter the residence of Governor RN Ravi, they were prevented by the sentries on duty. The complaint also contended that the petrol bomb exploded.
On Thursday, Governor Ravi also issued a brief statement, levelling allegations against the Chennai City Police. The statement said that the police did not register Raj Bhavan’s complaint about the attack.
It added that the suo motu action of the police diluted the attack to an act of simple vandalism, and the accused was hurriedly arrested and remanded to jail at midnight, after a magistrate was woken up.
The Raj Bhavan also charged that the action of the police prevented a “detailed interrogation” which could have exposed those behind the attack. “Fair investigation is killed before it begins”, the Governor’s office stated.
Referring to the complaint filed by the Governor’s office, state DGP Shankar Jiwal said: “The information given in the complaint, as preferred by the Raj Bhavan, that more than one person tried to trespass into Raj Bhavan despite the security personnel trying to to stop them, and threw the petrol bomb which exploded, is contrary to the truth.”
In the official statement, Jiwal said that the accused “Karukka” Vinodh, 42, was a habitual offender in the Teynampet police station area and had acted alone in the Molotov cocktail attack near Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, 25 October.”
Jiwan said that the accused had approached the Raj Bhavan alone with four bottles filled with petrol intending to throw them, but was restrained by the police personnel posted near the gate of the Governor’s residence.
In the statement, the DGP said, “Fearing arrest, the accused threw one bottle on the Sardar Patel Road and another in front of the Raj Bhavan’s Gate 1 leaving the police barricade damaged. No one was injured in the incident.”
The DGP also stated that it was because of the alert police personnel, deployed for the protection of Raj Bhavan, that the accused had been restrained and arrested.
Jiwal assured that a prompt and full-fledged investigation will be conducted into the incident.
On Friday, to buttress his contention, the DGP’s office released video footage of the incident, which shows the accused Vinodh approaching Raj Bhavan on foot.
The footage also shows Vinodh standing on the road and lighting the fuse of the petrol-filled bottles and trying to throw them at the gate of Raj Bhavan.
The footage then shows the security personnel restraining and detaining him.
The Guindy Police have registered a case against the Vinodh under Sections 436 (mischief by fire), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of Explosive Substance Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Vinodh was produced before a magistrate in Saidapet and remanded in judicial custody until 9 November.
Meanwhile, the BJP state president K Annamalai, during his yatra in Erode, alleged that the Tamil Nadu police was downplaying the attack on the Raj Bhavan and was taking the issue lightly.
Referring to the version of the Chennai Police Commissioner that the petrol bomb was hurled only in front of the gate of the Raj Bhavan, Annamalai said that the commissioner of police was happy when he said no bomb was hurled inside the Governor’s residence.
“This is like stating someone was attacked with a knife, but it’s not a big deal because the victim is not dead. This is the state of the Tamil Nadu police under the DMK rule,’’ said Annamalai.
Referring to the car bomb attack in Coimbatore last year, the BJP leader said, “During the incident, unfortunately, the Tamil Nadu police had to lie because of the pressure of the ruling DMK. They maintained that it was a gas cylinder blast and refused to accept that it was a bomb blast. Eventually, the NIA had to come and say that it was a terror attack and arrested 13 persons in connection with the plot.”
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