Coimbatore 1998 serial blast: Most-wanted Al-Umma’s ‘Tailor Raja’ arrested; key supplier of explosives, linked to multiple murders

COIMBATORE: A Raja, alias Tailor Raja, 48, from Bilal Estate at Ukkadam in Coimbatore city, who was a most-wanted accused in the 1998 serial bomb blast case in Coimbatore city, was arrested by Coimbatore city police.He was apprehended from Karnataka and brought to Coimbatore city late Wednesday night.A police team from Coimbatore city received a tip-off about Tailor Raja's movements in Karnataka and arrested him on Wednesday. He had been evading arrest since 1998.Tailor Raja was a hardcore Al-Umma cadre and played a key role in the serial bomb blasts. He worked as a tailor and did embroidery work before his involvement in the case.Police said Tailor Raja was facing a murder case at Nagore police station in 1996. He also faced two more murder cases at Race Course police station in Coimbatore city and Karimedu police station in Madurai in 1996–97.Raja had rented a house at Vallal Nagar where bombs were made and stored in 1998. He had distributed bombs to several Al-Umma cadres from February 12 to 14, 1998.Another suspect, Mujibur Rehman from Oppanakkara Street, has been absconding in connection with the Coimbatore serial bomb blast case since February 1998.

He had studied up to Class VI and played a key role in planting bombs.He was the state spokesperson of Al-Umma and mobilised activists in Coimbatore. He arranged pushcarts to plant bombs and was also present on February 14, 1998, when the four-member suicide squad was spotted at the BJP meeting venue on DB Road at RS Puram.