The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister Vijay, has granted 60 days of parole to five convicts serving life sentences in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts case. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the state BJP, which has demanded the immediate cancellation of the parole orders.
The five convicts, Mohammed Ansari, Mohammed Ali, Monappa alias Mohammed Hassan, Mohammed Ajam and Nawab Khan, were granted parole on personal and health grounds after spending around 25 to 30 years in prison, according to officials. They were convicted for their roles in the blasts linked to the banned Al-Umma organisation.
The explosions on February 14, 1998, claimed 58 lives and left over 250 people injured. The synchronised bombings came just before a scheduled election rally of senior BJP leader LK Advani, who was identified as the prime target.
Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy condemned the decision, arguing that personal circumstances could not outweigh the severity of the attack.
“Personal grounds cannot override the gravity of a terror attack that remains one of the darkest chapters in the state's history,” he said in a post on X.
Calling the move “selective softness towards convicted terrorists”, Thirupathy said the parole was an “insult to the dead and a betrayal of the living”. He demanded that the orders be revoked immediately, arguing that the decision sent the wrong message about accountability for terrorist attacks.
“The memory of the 58 victims and the security of the public demand that this parole be revoked immediately. The BJP demands the immediate cancellation of the 60-day parole orders and insists that no further concessions should be extended to Al-Umma convicts in this case,” he added.
“Justice for the victims of Coimbatore cannot be traded for political calculations. Terrorists must serve their full sentences,” Thirupathy said.
The parole decision has sparked a political row in Tamil Nadu, with the BJP questioning the government's decision to grant temporary release to the five convicts.