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Coimbatore
Reminiscing the L&O situation after Coimbatore bomb blasts
November 22, 2020
The main focus soon after my posting to Coimbatore soon after the bomb blasts was to ensure that there were no law and order issues. The main attempt we concentrated on was to bring back communal harmony in the city, said Davidson Devasirvadham, the current City Commissioner of Madurai, reminiscing the aftermath of the Coimbatore serial bomb blasts in 1998 that claimed the lives of 60 and injured over 200.
When he was posted as the Deputy Commissioner, Coimbatore to assist the then City Commissioner K. Radhakrishnan, after the serial blasts shook Coimbatore, there was an urgent need to restore the communal harmony. It was a very worthwhile two years working as the assistant commissioner and deputy commissioner in Coimbatore with an intention to ensure that no such grave incident occurs as people were in a state of tremendous fear and panic .
We were also vested with the job to make sure that the extremist elements are driven out. It was a matter of solid work with no sleep in order to ensure the preventive measures are undertaken, he told Vikatan TV in an interview.
We spent day and night searching for the accused of the bomb blast but it is fortunate that the normal transition came back very soon in Coimbatore despite the economy that had taken a beating. Small crimes in the city like Ganja sales immoral trafficking and lottery sales had to completely stopped to ensure effective law and order. The one number lottery which was rampant in Coimbatore was brought to a grinding halt in finish a month.
Immoral trafficking in Coimbatore was also going on very professionally using cell phones. Such criminals were arrested and booked under Goondas. Systematic raids were conducted and those engaged in peddling Ganja were booked. Eventually murders came down .
The police team also ensured that the other Al Umma accused involved in the blasts were also arrested. The victims who had seen the blast were trained appropriately such that it resulted in conviction. Other pending communal murders were investigated during that period and brought to trial, he added.
