A guarded tranquil prevailed in Ooty before dawn break on May 18, 1988. An explosion around 4:30 a.m. in the famed Botanical Garden, a must-visit spot in the itinerary of visitors, sent jitters among local residents and tourists alike. The tourism and hospitality industry went into panic mode as Ooty, one of the most favourite destinations of tourists in India, was targeted by extremists.
Considering the nature and magnitude of the offence, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch CID of the Tamil Nadu police for investigation. The bomb was buried in the map of India created with flowers and plants in the Botanical Garden. The explosion triggered by a timer device caused a dent in the map, damaging its flowerbed, which the investigating agency said sent a chilling and symbolic message about the intent of the perpetrators.
Seeing some pamphlets strewn around the scene of the blast and the modus operandi of the accused persons, investigators suspected the role of the Tamil Viduthalai Padai (Tamilarasan faction) in the incident. They were actively engaged in violent methods of registering their protest against the imposition of Hindi and demanding Tamil Eelam. The then Tamil Nadu Governor P.C. Alexander, who was staying in Udhagamandalam, visited the scene of the blast.
