The Raj Bhavan has put out a media release clarifying its version of the petrol bomb attack on Wednesday. It said that around 2.45 p.m., a drastic and a serious attack was carried out on the Constitutional Head of the State of Tamil Nadu.
“Some miscreants, armed with petrol bombs, tried to barge in through the Main Gate No. 1 of the Raj Bhavan, Chennai. However, alert sentries prevented them from entering the Raj Bhavan and a grave untoward incident was averted,” the statement read.
After the first petrol bomb was hurled at the main entrance Gate 1, it burst with a huge sound and burnt the entrance. Security personnel rushed to capture the miscreants. Even as they attempted to subdue the attackers, another petrol bomb was hurled, resulting in severe damage to the main entrance, the statement added.
Somehow, one of the assailants was overpowered by the personnel. A complaint has been filed by the Deputy Secretary to the Governor and Comptroller with the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, requesting to register a case under Section 124 of the IPC and other relevant provisions of law; conduct a proper investigation; ensure due punishment to all the involved persons, including conspirators behind the attacks; and provide proper security to the Governor, it said.
In the past too, there have been threat attempts intended to overawe the Governor and restrain him from discharging his Constitutional duties, the Raj Bhavan said. However, complaints lodged have been inconsequential due to police inaction, it added.
To illustrate, in an incident on April 18, 2022, the Governor was physically attacked with two sticks and stones while he was on his was way to attend a function at the Dharmapuram Adhinam. Though the Raj Bhavan lodged the complaint, an FIR was not registered and no action was taken, it noted.
‘Constant threats’
The Governor cannot work under a shadow of constant threats. The brazen bomb attack by miscreants who tried to barge into the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday comes in the backdrop of sustained vicious attacks on the Governor using filthy abuses and wielding threats to his life, Deputy Secretary to Governor and Comptroller T. Sengottaiyan said in a complaint.
“A complaint has been received on Wednesday night from a Raj Bhavan official and we will examine the contents. The process of criminal action has already been set in motion. Appropriate action will be taken...,” a police officer, who did not want to be quoted, said.
