Low intensity blasts rock Bangalore

A series of low-intensity blasts rocked Bangalore yesterday afternoon claiming the life of one woman and injuring at least seven others.

Commissioner of Bangalore City Police Shankar Bidri told reporters that a total of seven explosions triggered by crude devices fitted with timers had taken place at seven different locations in Bangalore in a span of 45 minutes starting from 1.20 pm.

Except for the blast that took place at near a bus stop at Madiwala in Bangalore South, where a woman Lakshmi was killed on the spot and three others were injured, the remaining explosions had caused minimum or no damage. Most of the explosive devices were dug up and buried under the ground, police said.

However, the police immediately despatched bomb detection and disposal squads to the sites of explosion. The police also cordoned off the areas, where the blasts had taken place, and diverted traffic, leading to snarls in various parts of the City.

As soon as the news about the blasts spread, panic gripped the residents of the City. Educational institutions, shopping malls and cinema halls were also closed down. Mobile telephone networks were also jammed.

The first blast was reported at the bus stop in Madiwala, where Lakshmi was waiting for a bus with her husband Ravi around 1.20 pm. While Lakshmi was killed on the spot, her husband Ravi and two others Chethan and Muniraju suffered injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

The second explosion took place 15 minutes later at Nayandahalli, where the explosive device was buried in a drainage, next to a petrol pump. The third blast was reported from Audogodi, where two persons Muniraju and Ambu were injured. The fourth blast took place Koramangala while the fifth one was reported in park on Vittal Mallya Road, where two persons were injured.

The last explosion occurred at Shivajinagar in the heart of Bangalore, close to Vidhana Soudha, around 2.35 pm.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa described the blasts as “acts of evil forces aimed at destroying peace in the society”. He appealed to the people to remain vigilant and report to the police suspicious movement of unidentified people in their respective areas.

He convened an emergency meeting of his cabinet later in the evening to take stock of the situation.

Bidri, who visited the sites of explosion located within a radius of 10 to 15 kilometres, said the explosives used were in the quantity of one or two grenades. He said the miscreants had planted the explosives to spread alarm in the society. “We will send the samples from the blast site for forensic examination await a report on the nature of explosives used”, he said.

He also appealed to the general public to remain calm and carry on with their business as usual. “The police are geared up to take care of the situation. We will get to the root of the matter and bring the culprits to book”, Bidri said.

Additional Commissioner of Bangalore City Police Gopal Hosur said no organization had, so far, claimed responsibility for the explosions.