Vellore, July 3, 2013: A two-member team of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) from Chennai safely defused and detonated the four pipe bombs, which was found abandoned by the murderers of Hindu Munnani’s State Secretary S Vellaiyappan, at Otteri Lake on Tuesday.

A team of police officers attached to Vellore Sub-Division and additional-director of the Forensic Wing K Pari safely transported the bombs to Otteri Lake from Netaji Stadium.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, BDDS, Asir Vijaykumar and inspector of the Wing Mohammed executed the operation at the lake between 4.30 pm-5.40 pm. “After the bombs were blasted, soil samples were collected from the explosion spot. After getting approval from the court, the samples will be sent to forensic laboratory in Chennai, to find out the explosive substances,”  a senior police officer said.

The pipe bombs were made of slurry cell and detonators. “Slurry cell was stuffed in one inch plastic pipes and fitted with coupler on either side. Each pipe bomb measured around 20 cm in length. It was fixed with ordinary detonator and safety fuse. It will explode after connecting the detonator to a battery. The safety fuse is used to delay the explosion by four to five seconds. It will give ample time to throw them at the target,” the police official added.

The police came to know about the bombs nearly five hours after Vellaiyappan’s brutal murder around 3.10 pm on Monday. On looking for evidence, the police found the bombs in a black colour double-sided shoulder bag,  recovered from the murder spot.

Outsiders Involved?

A police officer investigating the S Vellaiyappan’s murder, revealed on Tuesday that investigators suspect that the murderers were from outside the district as they were reportedly carrying his photograph to identify him.

Apart from pipe bombs, a T-shirt and a copy of a Tamil newspaper that published a photograph of Vellaiyappan along with an article regarding the protest against the takeover of Sri Jalagandeswarar Temple by HR & CE department few days ago, was found at the crime scene near Ramakrishna Mutt.

The statement comes even as police have gained few leads in the killing. The Special Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the case with Superintendent of Police Arularasu visiting the crime spot and conducting an inquiry.

Sources said that the police suspect that the perpetrators arrived at the scene on two motorcycles.

Source: The New Indian Express, DT. July 3, 2013.