Our correspondent
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Situation in and around the headquarters of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nasser Madhani in Kollam has become tense following report of the leader’s imminent arrest.
Police had to use teargas shells to disperse the large crowd that had gathered at the headquarters. The district administration clamped prohibitory orders in and around Madani’s compound and asked all those from outside the area to leave the place.
A Karantaka police team has been camping in Kollam to arrest Madani, accused in 2008 Bangalore blasts case. The decks appeared to have been cleared for his arrest after the home ministers of Kerala and Karnataka talks to each other Friday
Madani, meanwhile, has approached Supreme Court filing an anticipatory bail plea to avoid his arrest.
He and his wife Sufiya have been under the scanner following the arrest of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative T. Nazeer last year near the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya. He is currently in custody of the Bangalore police.
The PDP chief is being accused of having links with Nazeer and knowing of the Bangalore plot. However, Madani has vehemently denied the charges.
Madhani was jailed after being linked to the 1998 serial bombings in Coimbatore but was acquitted in 2007.