8 crude blasts in an hour in Bangalore

Sat, Jul 26 03:22 AM

A series of eight crude, low intensity bomb blasts across main roads in south, central and western parts of Bangalore on Friday afternoon left a 32-year-old woman dead at a bus stop and injured as many as seven persons.

All the blasts occurred between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Four of the eight blasts happened at corners along the busy Hosur Road leading to the software hub of Electronics City. The worst damage was caused by a blast at the Madivala checkpost bus stop on the Hosur Road.

Sudha Ravi, 32, a housewife who had escorted her husband Ravi Kumar to a hospital for a medical check up, took the brunt of the impact of the crude bomb and was killed on the spot at the bus stop. Her husband was seriously injured on his head but has been declared to be out of danger. Sudha's body was identified based on information provided by her injured husband, police said.

A 21-year-old student, Chethan Kumar, who was also waiting at the bus stand suffered a minor head injury.

Other blasts occurred at a circle in central Bangalore and along the Mysore Road but no serious damage was caused.

Initial forensic analysis of the sites indicated the use of variable quantities of urea and ammonium sulphate as explosive material. Nuts and bolts were packed in as shrapnel for the bombs that were activated by timers, sources said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gopal Hosur described the blasts as not carrying the trademarks of professional terror outfits in terms of choice of targets and bombs.

Commissioner of Police Shankar Bidari said no comments could be made on the perpetrators of the blasts since investigations are still at a very early stage.

The blasts come on the back of tension in parts of north Bangalore exactly a week ago, following the alleged planting of pig meat in some mosques in the region.

The crude bomb blasts sent a spiral of panic around Bangalore with offices, shops and establishments shutting down early to send employees home - especially along the IT corridor.

"All our employees are safe and there has been no impact on our business operations. We are in touch with the police department to and will remain fully alert. We have increased security on our campus," Infosys said in an official statement after the blasts.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who described the blasts as shocking, said he saw a conspiracy to derail his two-month-old BJP government on account of the good administration provided by it.

"I condemn this cowardly act aimed at disrupting peace and normalcy. Destructive forces whether anti-social or anti-national will be brought to book," he said.

He appealed for peace and a return to normal life in Bangalore over the weekend. Security would be heightened around the state, he said.

how stupid of all diz pPl....

n bcoz of this affect my weekend n my saLSa!!!!!!!!

grrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!