Title - Painter held for sending threat letters

Days after an anonymous letter was received by the Vriddhachalam railway station master threatening that bombs would explode in trains, a special team of the Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested a painter here on Thursday.S. Aslam Jaan (49) of Kollampalayam in Erode district was convicted and imprisoned earlier in six cases booked in various railway police stations relating to writing and sending threat letters.

The GRP, Vriddhachalam, booked a case after the railway station master of Vriddhachalam Junction received an anonymous handwritten letter in Tamil on July 27 threatening that bombs would explode on Vriddhachalam–Chennai and Vriddhachalam–Tiruchi trains if Al – Umma prisoners lodged in jails were not released. The letter also wanted 25 per cent reservation for Muslims in government jobs.

This was the second threat letter to Vriddhachalam railway station master after a similar letter was received on January 10.

Upon receipt of the July 27 letter, the special team went to Tiruppur, Erode and Karur as part of investigations, K. Rajavel, Deputy Superintendent of Police, GRP, Tiruchi, told reporters here on Thursday.

It came to light during investigations that Aslam Jaan had written the threat letters. This was established by engaging the services of handwriting experts. The handwriting in the recent threat letter and that of Aslam Jaan matched, DSP Rajavel said.

Though a native of Tiruppur, Aslam Jaan had shifted his residence to Erode district and had come to Tiruchi where he was apprehended by the team based on information.

DSP Rajavel said there were 17 cases booked against Aslam Jaan between 2002 and 2005 in various railway police stations including Tiruchi, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil for writing threat letters.

The accused was behind bars in Cuddalore Central Prison for nearly six years after having been convicted in such cases earlier.

Aslam Jaan’s habit was to send threat letters only through post cards addressing it to station masters. The pattern was to mention the designation of station master in English and the address would be written in Tamil, DSP Rajavel said. “It was a habit for Aslam Jaan to write such threat letters”, the DSP claimed.


“It has been a habit for Aslam Jaan of Kollampalayam in Erode district to write such threat letters”