Thiruvananthapuram: Tension continued to prevail at Anwarssery in Kollam district on Monday the deadline looms for the arrest of of People's Democratic Party chairman Abdul Nassar Madani, the main suspect in the 2008 Bangalore serial bomb blasts case.
A Bangalore police team has been in Kerala for Madani's arrest since August 10, and a team of senior police officials from Karnataka arrived in Kerala on Monday, but the suspense over the arrest continued right through the day.
Madani's anticipatory bail plea had been rejected by the Karntaka high court.
Madani has denied any role in the Bangalore serial bomb blasts, and also announced that he would surrender to the "nearest court" in order to prevent any law and order problem occurring over his arrest.
Madani, who is suffering from a variety of illnesses and having a serious impediment in moving around, went for medical check up on Monday at Anwarssery where he is currently based, but gave no clue as to when he planned to surrender in a court.
The suspense heightened on Monday, owing to the fact that the duration of the arrest warrant being held by the Karnataka police expires on Tuesday.
Even as the arrest was prolonged indefinitely, political leaders in Karnataka and Kerala traded charges against each other.
While Karnataka home minister VS Acharya said the Kerala police had not provided the "assistance expected of them" in arresting Madani, his Kerala counterpart Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said it was up to the Karnataka police to decide when to arrest him and execute the arrest warrant.
A large number of policemen have been deployed at Anwarssery and in other parts of Kollam ahead of the likely arrest of Madani.
Over the past week, it was speculated that Madani would be arrested immediately after President Pratibha Patil left the state after her visit here, and the conclusion of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
