Mon Dec 16 15:50:58 UTC 2024: ## Coimbatore Blast Key Accused S.A. Basha Dies at 84
**Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu –** S.A. Basha, the key accused in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts, passed away this evening at a private hospital in Avinashi Road, Coimbatore. He was 84 years old. Basha, the leader of the Al Umma organization, had been serving a life sentence for his role in the devastating attacks that killed 56 people and injured over 200 on February 14, 1998.
Basha, who had spent nearly 30 years in prison, was granted bail in October of last year due to ill health. Remarkably, he cast his vote in the recent parliamentary elections after three decades of incarceration. However, his health continued to deteriorate in recent months, leading to his hospitalization.
His body is currently at his son Siddique’s residence in Ukkadam. Funeral prayers are scheduled for tomorrow evening at a mosque in the Flower Market area, with approximately 2,000 police officers deployed across Coimbatore city to maintain security. Thirteen individuals were given life sentences in connection with the blasts, which remain one of India’s most significant terrorist attacks.
First Piper 