'Don't spread rumours', TN police warns Annamalai

CHENNAI: Following Annamalai's allegations of "intelligence failure" on the part of Tamil Nadu police in not heeding to Central intelligence "tip-off" of the Coimbatore blast, DGP Sylendra Babu dismissed the claims.

The State DGP said the circular issued by the central agencies was of "general nature" and there was no specificity pointing at Kovai blast. "Had we received a specific information, we would have acted promptly,” he added.

The department urged not to fuel such baseless allegations.

The release pointed out that in this case, the State government had responded before the central government in transferring the case to NIA. The state police also refuted claims by the former IPS officer that state police received intelligence from centre about the blasts and it was ignored.

Following the Deepavali eve blast at Coimbatore's Ukkadam, the issue snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling DMK and BJP. State BJP chief Annamalai pointed out the "laxities" in the police department and ruling government that have led to the blast. Minister Senthilbalaji hit back at the claims saying Annamalai should be probed, to which the former cop responded he is ready.

In response to TN Police’s rebuttal, Annamalai took to Twitter and said that the DGP and ADGP (Int) are behaving like an extension of the DMK.

A point-by-point rebuttal will be given to the press statement of @tnpoliceoffl soon.

With the highest respect to the hardworking brothers & sisters of TN Police, the DGP and ADGP (Int) of our state police behaves like an extension of the @arivalayam office. (1/3)

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 29, 2022

"Sad to see the level of politicisation in the higher ranks of the police force. Our complaint was especially against the two top officers for failing their basic duties, and no wonder they gave a press release in the name of the TN Police force to protect themselves," he said.

"Instead of blaming us for bringing down the morale of the force, they should do a proper soul-searching to see where the failure has happened," he said and continued that he would give a point-by-point rebuttal to the state police charges against him.

Inputs from Bureau