[Reader-list] Leftists Train Cameraman to make bombs

[Pawan Durani]

"The police said Sinu learnt the technique of making petrol bombs from a
Left Front student activist while covering various agitations in the city."

http://keralaonline.com/news/arson-attack-accused-chennai_34449.html

Thiruvananthapuram, Monday 20 April 2009: A police team from the city has
left for Chennai with Sinu, alias Siraj Murukumpuzha, a 32-year-old news
cameraman who was recently arrested in connection with the arson attack on
the house of suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Sanal Kumar in
February, as part of investigation into the incident.

The police had arrested him last week from Chennai, where he was working for
a news channel. Their case is that Sinu torched Mr. Sanal Kumar’s car and
lobbed petrol bombs into the latter’s house to exact revenge for arraigning
him as accused in a case relating to the kidnap of alleged financial
fraudster Sabarinath.

The attack occurred early on February 25, 2009, a few days after Mr. Sanal
Kumar was suspended from service, pending inquiry, for alleged supervisory
lapse in a case relating to an attack on airport security personnel by two
drunken passengers.

Investigators said Sinu, who was absconding after being charged with the
kidnap of Sabarinath, had seen Mr. Sanal’s suspension as an opportunity to
harm him.

The police said Sinu’s brother-in-law Sooraj; his close friends and video
editors of different news channels, N. Hari Kumar and Hari G. Nair helped
him carry out the attack.

Hari Kumar surrendered before a court in Chenkottai in Tamil Nadu last week
and is in judicial remand in Palayamkottai prison in Tirunelveli district.
The city police have sought his custody.

The police have charged Sinu’s wife, Surabhi, among others, of plotting the
crime. The police also filed an affidavit in the High Court on Friday
opposing Surabhi’s plea for anticipatory bail.

The police said Sinu learnt the technique of making petrol bombs from a Left
Front student activist while covering various agitations in the city.
They said he made the bombs and posters lampooning Mr. Sanal Kumar, a few of
which were found stuck on the walls of other houses in his neighbourhood at
Pothujanam Lane, near Kumarapuram.

Investigators said they were trying to recover the laptop computer in which
the posters were designed. They were also trying to identify those who
harboured Sinu in Chennai after the police proclaimed him a wanted man.

The police said Sinu used his car and his wife’s scooter for the act. Hari
Kumar waited in the car while Sinu and Sooraj carried out the attack.
After committing the crime, the accused slept on the terrace of Surabhi’s
house in the same locality.

Hari G. Nair harboured Sinu for few some days after which he left for
Chennai and stayed in an apartment owned by one of Hari Kumar’s close
relatives, the investigators said.

They said Surabhi’s parents had given conflicting statements about Sinu’s
presence in the house when questioned separately.
His father admitted that he was present there on the night of the attack
while Surabhi’s mother said she had not seen her son-in-law in months, they
said.