Less than 18 hours after improvised explosive devices caused low intensity blasts in four places in a half-kilometre stretch of the arterial Jangli Maharaj Road in Pune, normal traffic is seen plying on the route on Thursday morning.
The only evidence of anything untoward having happened is the swarm of OB vans and policemen in the area.
Dena Bank, where one of the blasts took place, was also seen functioning as normal. Police has put a cordon around the tree where a bicycle on which the IED was suspected to have been placed, was found.
The first of the serial blasts was reported at Balgandharva Chowk, where a tailor who said he was participating in a protest by Anna Hazare supporters, was injured when a plastic bag he was carrying, exploded. He is being questioned by the police.
Three more blasts took place, one outside a McDonald’s outlet, another near Dena Bank and the fourth at Garware bridge, all in quick succession over a 40-minute period around 7.30 p.m. on the evening of August 1. Two more IEDs were de-fused.
Though no other casualty was reported, the blast has brought back painful memories of the Germany Bakery blast over two years ago in which 15 people lost their lives.
No organisation has claimed responsibility for the blasts and the possibility of it being a terror attack or a reaction to the recent killing of terror suspect Qatil Siddiqui by inmates in Pune’s Yerawada jail is being examined.
Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil arrived in the city last night to take stock of the situation as did ATS chief Rakesh Maria. A meeting is currently under way at Circuit House with top police officials.