The government has ordered an inquiry into the incident, but the probe is yet to begin two days on as officials were reportedly uncertain of whose jurisdiction the blast occurred under. The inquiry will be conducted by Special IGP (Anti-Terrorist Squad) S K Saikia.

Saikia said that there was no evidence, except hearsay, to prove if an explosion had really occurred. It could be a freak weather disturbance, thunderstorm or `ball' lightning that could send tall flames in the sky. Interestingly, there was a radar unit stationed in the area; it had been shifted 15-odd days before the incident.

According to Saikia, the navy and air force were better equipped to carry out investigation of such cases. He said that he was only supervising the investigation being conducted by the Bharuch district police which was informed by some people that an explosion had taken place in the sea waters.

Police officials in Bharuch town, 50 km from the coast, say they received eyewitness accounts on Tuesday night of flames leaping hundreds of metres into the sky. The water level in the gulf was also said to have risen after the `blast'.

Bharuch Superintendent of Police N D Solanki -- who subsequently sent a report to Gandhinagar -- said he met a number of people who claimed to have seen the flames and heard the blast immediately after the incident. He also received confirmation from Bhavnagar that people there had a similar experience.

Since the Bharuch police lack a boat, Solanki said that it is not known whether the debris of the explosion is still in the water. He said the Coast Guard and the BSF's water wing had been informed and activated.

Interestingly, the area within a 50-km radius of the coastline is a hub of industrial activity. Bharuch and Ankleshwar are home to a large number of chemicals and phamaceuticals units. The Dhuvaran Thermal Power Station is on the coast of Khambhat, the world's largest ship-breaking yard is at Alang, near Bhavnagar and the Jambusar area of Bharuch district has 600 oil wells and a refinery.

When contacted, Director-General of Police C P Singh said the information was immediately passed on to the defence authorities including the Indian Air Force and the Navy, to expedite the inquiry process. He denied the charge that confusion over jurisdiction had delayed the inquiry, saying it was simply down lack of expertise and resources to reach the sea. He said that he had not yet received any information from the defence authorities on whether they had made any breakthrough in the incident.