Security to be tight in Coimbatore for another month

COIMBATORE: With a special court finding 153 accused guilty in the 1998 serial blasts case, security arrangements would continue in and around the city till
completion of the sentencing, which begins from August six.
    
The court had found nearly 70 persons, including S A Basha and Mohammed Ansari, the founder and general secretary of proscribed 'Al-Umma,' respectively and some hardcore members of the organisation, guilty of hatching a conspiracy to trigger a series of explosions, as part of eliminating BJP leader L K Advani, during his visit to the city on Feb 14 that year.
    
Kerala-Based PDP leader, Abdul Nasser Madhani was, however, acquitted of all the five charges, including conspiracy, and was released on bail last evening.
    
To prevent any untoward incidents during the hearing and awarding of the sentence,security would be strengthened and tight vigil kept in the district, police said.
    
Pickets, vehicle checking and frisking on arterial roads, highways, railway stations and bus stands would continue for another month, the sources said.
    
Armed guards would be posted at places of worship and in front of political party offices and also at sensitive places.     

Security would also be tight in Tirupur, Mettupalayam, Pollachi and Udumalai in the rural limits, the sources said.