IM under scanner, blame game on

A blame game over intelligence inputs erupted on after the twin bomb blasts here as the role of banned militant outfit Indian Mujahideen was being increasingly suspected by probe agencies who got some ‘leads’. The death toll in the blasts in a crowded area at Dilsukhnagar on Thursday night rose to 16 with the number of injured being put at 117 even as investigative teams combed the blast sites at Dilsukhnagar.

All but one of the dead were men. Eight CCTVs installed in the area were of no use for the investigators pinning hopes on them for evidence as they malfunctioned. Union home ministry sources denied that the CCTV wires were snapped by the perpetrators of the attack. Forensic experts who collected evidence from the blasts site submitted a preliminary report indicating that ammonium nitrate were used in the bombs, which were planted in tiffin boxes and fitted to two bicycles, police sources said.

‘This is an explosive mix in which aluminum sharpeners were added to nails and iron pieces used to create more impact,’ a forensic expert noted. Investigators were also looking for a timer device. Cyberabad Police commissioner Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said they had gathered enough clues about those involved but added the information could not be divulged. He denied having ‘detained’ anyone in connection with the case. Nothing has been officially said but the accusing finger in the case is being pointed towards the IM that has an ‘established network’ in Hyderabad.

The modus operandi in strapping improvised explosive device (IED) to bicycles was similar to blasts triggered by IM in the past. Hyderabad along with Bangalore, Coimbatore and Hubli were specifically alerted by the central security agencies about possible attacks by Pak-based terror groups to avenge the hanging of Mumbai attack convict Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Apart from a general advisory sent to all states on 19 February, Union home ministry officials said specific information about possible attacks was shared with authorities in four cities on Thursday morning. Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said all states were alerted about a possible terror strike. However, Andhra Pradesh CM Kiran Kumar Reddy had said those were general alerts which keep coming from Centre. It has also emerged two of the alleged IM operatives arrested by Delhi police for their involvement in Pune blasts last year did a recce of Dilsukhnagar in July 2012.


SHINDE TRIES TO DEFLECT CRITICISM

Facing flak from the opposition as well as allies of the government over his lacklustre statement on the Hyderabad twin bomb blasts, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde tried deflecting criticism by stressing on the need for a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). 'We wanted to set up NCTC, but many states objected to it. We need to debate on these issues instead of dismissing them,' said Shinde in his reply in Rajya Sabha. He said the intelligence input sent to state governments was taken lightly by them despite the reports advising them to remain alert for at least 10 days. Shinde insisted that specific warning about the incident had been given to the Andhra Pradesh government. 'Usually we give information to the DGP, but in this case we gave the inputs directly to the police forces of five cities,' said Shinde. 'Giving lectures only will not work any more, we will have to take stern action,' he said.