5 HOURS OF TERROR, 8 BLASTS

5 HOURS OF TERROR, 8 BLASTS
BY AMBARISH B.
BENGALURU


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Terror revisited Bengaluru as a string of eight synchronised bombs went off one after the other on Friday afternoon, claiming the life of one woman and leaving a deathly hush over the normally bustling IT hub.

The first of the eight serial blasts began at around 1.20 pm, a chilling reminder of the December 2005 IISc attack.

Preliminary reports confirmed that Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were used in all the blasts.

The use of chemicals, timers and detonators indicated that it was a well planned attempt.

The first blast was at around 1.20 pm near the Madivala checkpost.

Sudha, 40, a resident of Pillangana Halli, who was standing at the bus stop with her husband Ravi, died on the spot. The next blast was at Nayandahalli opposite the Chandana Military Hotel, in West division.

Soon other blasts went off at Adugodi, on Raja Rammohan Roy Road, on Langford Road, on Sarjapur Road, at Kengeri, near the RTO Office, at Hosaguddahalli near Gopalan Mall, and on Berlin Street which went off at 6.10 pm Muniraju from Adugodi is said to have been seriously injured. All the injured are being treated at different hospitals. Panicstricken people left office early and traffic was thrown out of gear.

The mobile phone networks were jammed for more than six hours, intensifying the panic among the public.

According to bomb squad officials, plastic boxes and tin nameboards were used to make the explosives.

“Strangely, in some places the explosives were hidden in pits dug in the ground. In others ammonium nitrate, gelatin sticks and nuts and bolts were found. Plastic items and tin boards were used to cover the explosives for increased impact,” an officer said.

When the blasts went off there were not many people in the areas targeted. In fact, the woman who died was among six people waiting for a bus near the Madivala bus stop.

City police commissioner Shankar M. Bidari said that the explosives used in most of the blasts were similar.

“All the explosives were IED but with low intensity.

On Hosur road two blasts took place within 100 to 250 metres of each other.

The type of materials used for the explosives is yet to be ascertained.

Experts have recovered gunpowder, nuts and bolts from the blast sites,” he said.

No group claimed responsibility. The city has been put on high alert.

Security at the international airport was beefed up and air travellers were put through random security checks for explosives.

Highway patrols were intensified, especially Bangalore-Hyderabad highway to plug all escape routes.