Hubli, May 10::A low-intensity bomb exploded on Saturday in a court in Hubli trying the cases of seven terror suspects, causing damage to furniture but there were no casualties as the court remained closed on account of second Saturday, police said.

The explosion took place as polling was underway for the first phase of Karnataka Assembly elections.

Hubli-Dharwad goes to polls in the third phase on May 22.

The bomb placed beneath the witness box in the Judicial First Class Magistrate court (JMFC) damaged furniture, window panes and some doors.

Police Commissioner of Hubli-Dharwad City Narayana Nadumani said that unidentified persons had planted a low-intensity bomb beneath the witness box in the court.

The explosion, which took place in the wake of a terror network being unearthed a few months back leading to arrests of seven SIMI activists, shocked local people.

The JMFC court has been trying these suspects including Mohammed Asif and Riyasuddin Naser.Some of them are in judicial custody and few others in the custody of the Corps of Detectives (COD), which has been probing the terror network in Karnataka.

Forensic experts from Bangalore have been summoned to investigate the blast and ascertain the nature of explosives used.Police have cordoned off the area, Nadumani said.

Members of Hubli Bar association, activists of BJP and Congress staged protests demanding inquiry into the blast.

Ads By Google