National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Saturday carried out searches at at least 27 locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with the ISIS-inspired car bomb blast in Coimbatore, which led to the arrest of 15 people.

The agency said the main suspect, Jamesha Mubeen, was a suicide bomber who was killed in October 2022 when the vehicle he was driving carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded.

Sources said the attacks were carried out simultaneously in the districts of Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore, targeting those suspected of having links with ISIS or its sympathizers.

The search began early this morning. Further details are pending.

The case was initially registered by the Ukkadam police in Coimbatore and later handed over to the NIA and officially re-registered on October 27, 2022. The arrested suspect has been identified as Tahanaseer, a resident of Coimbatore.

The NIA said he allegedly conspired with Jamesha Mubeen and Mohammed Thoufeek to carry out a terrorist attack in front of the ancient Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar temple on Ukkadam Eswaran Kovil Street in Coimbatore on October 23.

The vehicle carrying the IED was driven by Jamesha Mubeen, to whom Tahanaseer and Mohammed Thoufeeq were close, the agency said.

Investigation revealed that the late defendant James Shah was deeply inspired and motivated by the ideology of the radical Islamic State.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)