Advani yatra: One more held for planting bomb

MADURAI: One more person, suspected to be an activist of the banned Al-Umma, was today arrested in connection with the planting of a powerful pipe bomb on the yatra route of BJP leader L K Advani near here last month, police said.Karuvai Hakeem (30), who was arrested here by the Special Investigation Team, is a close associate of Fakruddin and Bilal Mallick, suspected to be the main accused and absconding since the incident was reported, police said.According to SIT sources, Hakeem had procured batteries for the pipe bomb that was unearthed from under a bridge and defused on October 27 at Alampatti village, about 30 km from here, on the route of Advani's Jan Chetna yatra. Subsequently, the BJP leader's route was diverted.Hakeem is the third person to be arrested in connection with the incident, the others being Abdul Rahman Abdullah and Ismath.Sources said Hakeem, who was allegedly involved in the murder of an Hindu Makkal Katchi activist Kalidass in 2008, was in the Al Umma group along with Fakruddin and Bilal for a long time.