Pune rocked on Shinde’s Day 1
2 Aug 2012 1:27 AM GMT
The educational hub of Maharashtra was rocked by four low-intensity bomb blasts on Wednesday on a day when the new home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde took charge. Incidentally he was scheduled to visit Pune in the evening, but he later postponed the visit.
The blasts took place on the Junglee Maharaj Road area here, injuring one person, the police said.
The explosions took place near Balgandharva Theatre and at Dena Bank branch and a McDonald joint. The fourth bomb went off on a bicycle at Garware Chowk on the same road. Another bomb was reportedly kept in a dustbin in the area, the police said, adding that the entire area has been cordoned off. In all, two bombs were diffused by the police.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad of the state police reached the spots, the police said. Later in the evening, Shinde said in Delhi that a team of the National Investigation Agency had been sent to Pune.
Asked if it was a terror attack, Shinde said that he could not comment on it, while the Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal said, 'It is not appropriate to comment at this moment. The police teams have reached the spots and are looking into the matter.' However, intelligence sources told TV channels that the blast could be the handiwork of the Indian Mujahideen. The city police sources said that the blasts appeared well coordinated. They found one sophisticated circuit at one of the four sites.
In the wake of these blasts, other states have sounded terror alerts.
The opposition also condemned the blasts. The Bharatiya Janata Party said that it was an alarm for the United Progressive Alliance government to take stern action against terrorist activities to 'teach a lesson to them'. It said that it stood in support of the government on the issue of terrorism and demanded strong action against terror activities.
In February 2010, more than 15 people were killed in a bomb blast at German Bakery in the city.
The blasts took place on the Junglee Maharaj Road area here, injuring one person, the police said.
The explosions took place near Balgandharva Theatre and at Dena Bank branch and a McDonald joint. The fourth bomb went off on a bicycle at Garware Chowk on the same road. Another bomb was reportedly kept in a dustbin in the area, the police said, adding that the entire area has been cordoned off. In all, two bombs were diffused by the police.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad of the state police reached the spots, the police said. Later in the evening, Shinde said in Delhi that a team of the National Investigation Agency had been sent to Pune.
Asked if it was a terror attack, Shinde said that he could not comment on it, while the Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal said, 'It is not appropriate to comment at this moment. The police teams have reached the spots and are looking into the matter.' However, intelligence sources told TV channels that the blast could be the handiwork of the Indian Mujahideen. The city police sources said that the blasts appeared well coordinated. They found one sophisticated circuit at one of the four sites.
In the wake of these blasts, other states have sounded terror alerts.
The opposition also condemned the blasts. The Bharatiya Janata Party said that it was an alarm for the United Progressive Alliance government to take stern action against terrorist activities to 'teach a lesson to them'. It said that it stood in support of the government on the issue of terrorism and demanded strong action against terror activities.
In February 2010, more than 15 people were killed in a bomb blast at German Bakery in the city.
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