CB-CID team investigating the May 1 explosions has identified perpetrators

The Crime Branch- CID, which is investigating the bomb blasts at Chennai Central Railway Station on May 1, claims that it is close to wrapping up the case.

CB-CID sleuths, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We know who is behind the blasts. But we are yet to nab them; so, more details cannot be divulged at this stage.”

It has been six months since the blast occurred aboard the Bangalore–Guwahati tri-weekly express a few minutes after it chugged into platform 9 at the railway station at 7.15 a.m.

The explosion claimed the life of P. Swati, a 22-year-old techie from Bangalore, who was on her way to meet her parents in Vijayawada.

14 passengers were injured in the incident.

The train was scheduled to arrive at Chennai junction at 5.40 a.m.

However, the train reached Central station only around 7.10 a.m.

Within a few minutes, bombs exploded one after the other in reserved second sleeper coaches, S 4 and S 5.

The explosives had been kept under seat number 28 in Coach S 4 and seat number 69 in coach S 5. Soon after the incident, cases were filed under various sections of the IPC and the Explosive Substances Act and Railway Act. The then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a probe by the CB-CID.

Initially, there was speculation on whether the State had refused the National Investigative Agency’s (NIA) help in handling the case.

Denying this, Ms. Jayalalithaa in a statement had said: “I would like to say that NIA experts well-versed in cracking bomb blast cases have come to inspect the blast site.” The National Security Guard’s assistance was also taken.

The possibility of the blasts occurring in Andhra Pradesh, had the train run on schedule, was also looked into.

A team also rushed to Bangalore suspecting that the explosives could have been planted there.