Madurai

March 9 2002

Imam Ali, one of the two militants who escaped from police custody at Thirumangalam near here on Thursday, had been trained by Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir and in Pakistan, police officials said here.

Imam Ali trained Hyder Ali, who escaped with the former, in both SLR gun operation and bomb making. The duo were involved in at least two blasts - one at Thiruvathavur in the district in 1991 and another at the RSS office at Chetpet in Chennai in 1993 where 11 persons were killed, the officials said.

The duo had already confessed that they carried out the bomb blast at Thiruvathavur as part of their plans to target temples in and around Melur near Madurai to protest the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the officials said.

They had earlier managed to escape from police custody in 1992 and 1995.

It was only after their first escape that Imam Ali went underground and got training in Pakistan through an ISI activist.

The duo had planned to murder a prominent leader of the Hindu organisation near Tiruppur but failed in their attempt and were arrested after their second escape in 1995 itself.

Imam Ali was arrested at Mettupalayam. The duo had taught bomb making to many other SIMI and Al Umma activists at Karaikal and other places in Tamil Nadu, the officials said.

Imam Ali was also allegedly involved in the Coimbatore serial bomb blast, the officials said.

Karunanidhi ends boycott of House

Chennai

March 9 2002

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi today ended his boycott of the state Assembly by attending the House which began here with the Governor’s address.

He occupied a seat in the front row of Opposition benches.

Earlier, he told reporters that the decision to end the boycott was taken 'suddenly'.

Asked whether he would continue to attend the House regularly hereafter, he said, 'wait and see'.

He told another questioner that he was only following the precedent set by some previous members without naming them.

Karunanidhi had been absenting himself from the Assembly proceedings right from the constitution of the new Assembly in May last year without specifying any reason.

Left parties to protest bus fare hike

Pondicherry

March 8 2002

CPI and CPM volunteers would launch a joint picketing programme at 11 centres in Pondicherry and Karaikal on March 20 to demand that the Territorial Administration withdraw the hike in bus fare.

The CPI secretary N Kalainathan and CPM secretary T Murugan told reporters here that the hike was unjustified, particularly when bus operators were finding it difficult to invest more on spare parts, tyres and tubes and pay duty.

They also said the party volunteers would "lay siege" to the Assembly campus on April 10.