Four bomb blasts rip through Pune; Govt points at terror angle,police says ‘mischief’

Pune Police Commissioner Gulab Rao Pol described the explosions as an act of mischief but Union Home Secretary R K Singh said terror angle cannot be ruled out since it seems to be a planned attack.

The man who was suspected to have carried one of the four bombs that exploded here tonight and was injured has been identified as a local tailor,Pol said.

The person’s name is Patil who is a local resident and working as a tailor in Junglee Maharaj Road,he said.

Pol said that “from the low-intensity blasts,we think there is no involvement of terrorist group. There may be other groups which are not related with terrorist activities”,he said.

Asked about the possible motive behind the blasts,he said “the intention was to make mischief and create panic in the mind of the public”.

Pol said the explosives carried by the injured man was kept in a cake box with sticky material,two detonators and a pencil cell.

One detonator went off in the explosion while the second was defused by a bomb disposal squad team.

Sushil Kumar Shinde,who took over as Union Home Minister today,was due to have visited the city this evening but the trip was cancelled. Ironically,his last two days in the Power ministry was marked by a major power outage due to collapse of three grids.

He parried questions in Delhi on whether it was a terror attack,saying they were minor explosions and a probe was on into the blast that occurred between 7.27 pm and 8.15 pm.

Pune was rocked by a bomb blast at German Bakery in February 2010 in which 15 people were killed.

The explosions occurred at Jangli Maharaj(JM) road at spots near Balgandharva Theatre,Dena Bank branch,a McDonald food outlet and Garware bridge. The first explosion went off at Balgandharva Theatre where the suspected bomber was injured.

The explosion outside McDonald went off in a dustbin while the blasts near Garware bridge and Dena bank were reported from a cycle which had a bucket with explosives strapped on,police said.

The entire J M Road area has been cordoned off.

Pol said explosives at one of the sites was kept in a polythene bag.

Maharashtra ATS and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads were at the spot,police said.

Asked if it was a terror attack,Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal said,”It is not appropriate to comment at this moment. Police teams have reached the spot and are looking into the matter.”

Maharashtra Additional DG (Law & Order) Satyapal Singh said,”the first explosion near Balgandharva Theatre occurred at 19.27 hours and the rest followed afterwards though the exact timings are not yet clear,while one cyclist was injured”.

Singh said he had no information about any fifth explosive device being found and defused.

Pol said,”All are minor explosions. The public need not panic. Police are alert and they are doing their job.”

“The bombs went off between 7.27 pm and 8.15 pm. One person has been injured. He is admitted at Sassoon hospital. Police is recording his statement. These blasts were of low

intensity,” Shinde said.

Shinde said teams of National Investigation Agency(NIA) and a bomb disposal squad of National Security Guards(NSG) have been rushed to Pune.

“I was planned to go to Pune at 6 pm today to attend a function of ‘Lokmanya Tilak Prize’ at Tilak theatre there. I have no information of being a terror attack,” he added.

“There were four low intensity bombs in which one person was injured. Terror angle cannot be ruled out as it appears that it was a planned attack,” Union Home Secretary R K Singh said.

“One person who allegedly carrying one of the bombs in a bag was injured and he has been taken into custody. His interrogation is going on,” he added.

Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil tonight reviewed the security situation in the state with senior officials.

Patil discussed the situation with top Home Department officials,sources said. An alert has been issued following the explosions,which come a day ahead of the Raksha Bandhan festivities.

A strict vigil will be maintained at crowded places like railway and bus stations,malls,markets and lodges,a Home Department official said.

Police said blasts near Dena bank and Garware Bridge underpass left the wire-meshed carrier bags,attached to the front of the bicycles,in which the explosive material was put,shattered. The blast that occurred near McDonald’s was of the explosive kept in a dustbin at its outer gate.

Pol said a small live detonator found at Balgandharva blast site was later defused by bomb squad.

Eyewitnesses said the explosions sounded like Diwali fire crackers as people ran helter-skelter.

Life in the city returned to normal after the initial scare and traffic flow was gradually restored.

Meanwhile,reacting to the explosions,Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said a thorough probe would be conducted and all efforts would be made to find the culprits.

He said teams of NIA and NSG have been sent to Pune to probe the blasts.

“We are closely monitoring the situation,” Chavan said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar left for Pune late night.

Security stepped up in Jaipur after Pune explosions

Security arrangements were tightened here in the wake of the serial low-intensity blasts in Pune.

“Security has been tightened at all the important places ncluding railway stations,bus stands.

“All officers were alerted to ensure law and order,” Jaipur Police Commissioner BL Soni said.

Security arrangements were reviewed in the commissionerate area,he added.

Other districts have also been alerted and asked to keep vigil,sources said.

Alert in UP after Pune explosions

After low density blasts in Pune,Uttar Pradesh police today issued an alert in the entire state directing all the district police chiefs to maintain vigil in their respecting areas.

As per the directives issued by IG Law and Order BP Singh all district police chiefs have been asked to maintain vigil around important establishment and remain alert to thwart plans of anti-social elements.

Singh asked them to check hotels,railway stations and other sensitive places and keep an eye on unscrupulous elements who could create problem.

He also asked them to deploy adequate force at sensitive places and ensure patrolling in their areas.

Police said the injured person was identified as Dayanand Patil.

Patil suffered injuries in his stomach,police added.

Volunteers of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement were holding protests near the site of the first explosion at Balgandharva theatre.