New Delhi:
A preliminary forensic report shows that ammonium nitrate was used to trigger four coordinated, low-intensity explosions in Pune last evening, police sources have said. All the bombs had been placed in cake boxes, not far from each other on the busy Junglee Maharaj Road, which is crowded with restaurants, shops and also has the large Sambhaji Park, popular for family outings in the evening. One bomb was later found and defused.
Here are the latest developments:
Intelligence sources now say that the one man injured, a local tailor Dayanand Patil, is not a suspect. Mr Patil had minor injuries and was taken to Sassoon Hospital, where he was questioned. He has reportedly told cops that he had stopped at the site of a Team Anna protest near the Balgandharva auditorium, where the first blast happened. He has reportedly said that he kept his bag on the ground and when he picked it up again, it felt heavy. He looked inside and the explosion happened.
Two red bicycles found at two of the blast sites are being looked at as important evidence. Batteries and ball bearings were found in polythene on one of the cycles - these are used to increase the impact of a blast, though, says the police, in this case the trigger mechanism was not strong and so the explosion caused was of low intensity. Police are trying to track who bought the bicycles.
Police sources say a black, sticky substance has been found at the site of the Balgandharva blast. While a preliminary forensic assessment indicates use of ammonium nitrate, the sticky substance is now being studied by the forensic lab to ascertain what it is. The composition of the bomb is said to indicate which group could be behind an explosion.
A CCTV camera outside Dena Bank, one of the four blast sites, is not working. There was also a blast near a McDonald's outlet - the police have found that one CCTV installed at that outlet is not working either, though another one at the cash counter is. A fourth blast happened at a statue near the Balgandharva auditorium, which is used to stage plays. All four explosions took place between 7.27 and 8.15 pm.
Home Secretary RK Singh said last night that a terror angle could not be ruled out. Today he said, "The fact that it (the blasts) happened in a radius of less than a km and in less than 45 minutes shows there was planning behind it."
The Centre has sent a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team, which has begun investigations. The Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal, the chief of the Anti-Terror Squad and a team of the National Security Guards (NSG) have also surveyed the blast sites. The Army, which has a strategic presence in Pune, is conducting its own investigations.
Anna's supporters in Pune, who were protesting near the Balgangadhar auditorium, have been given notice to leave the spot. The activists had been protesting just opposite the theatre. Their permission was cancelled today
Sushil Kumar Shinde, India's new Home Minister, was scheduled to be in Pune last night for a prize-giving ceremony. He cancelled his plans at the last minute, reportedly to meet officials in his new ministry.
There is a high alert in all major cities. In Mumbai, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan met senior officials to step up security for the financial capital. He said, "All experts will come to Pune and find out what device it was and what was the motive. When we know anything more concrete, we will share... I request people not to panic." Home Minister RR Patil will meet the investigators today.
In Delhi, a bomb disposal squad swept Jantar Mantar, where Gandhian activist Anna Hazare and his team are on a hunger strike.
Post a comment