Hindustan Times
written by Staff
Wednesday April 17, 2013
Police in Bangalore said on Wednesday they were investigating a blast outside a Bharatiya Janata Party office that injured 16 people. Here is the latest information about the explosion.
The blast in Malleshwaram locality occurred at around 10.30 am when the BJP office was crowded with party workers and candidates. The state goes to polls on May 5 and Wednesday is the last day for filing of nominations.
The explosion occurred on a motorbike parked near the BJP office. "Preliminarily, we felt earlier that it was a (gas) cylinder blast as two vehicles that were on both sides of the motorbike got burnt," Bangalore police commissioner R. Auradakar told reporters. "As the motorcycle is fully burnt, we feel that it could be a blast."
Auradkar, citing preliminary investigation, an "incendiary bomb" had been put on the bike, which was parked alongside cars.
"Due to the blast, 16 people are injured--eight policemen and eight civilians. Nobody is critically injured. All are being treated at hospital," said Lalrokhuma Pachau, Karnataka's Director General of Police. A team of the National Investigative Agency and forensic experts are investigating the explosion site.
Pachau said it was too early to say what kind of explosive had been used or who was responsible for the blast. "At this stage we cannot say what material has been used in the blast. Investigations are going on," he said.
Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok called the blast was "a clear act of terror" against the BJP. "It is a very clear act of terror--it is targeted at the BJP, our senior leaders and workers," said Ashoka. "100 per cent, it is targeted at BJP workers".
Ashok pointed out the blast occurred on April 17, the date when blasts near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the city injured several people three years ago. The minister since scores of party leaders and workers had been visiting the party office called "Jagannath Bhavan" for the past few day.
Three cars and several scooters were charred in the blaze that followed the blast. A police bus parked nearby was also badly damaged.
ABP TV news channel reported the motorcycle which is suspected to have been planted with explosives had a Tamil Nadu registered number plate.
Of the 16 injured, 11 are police personnel and five are civilians, including three women, Home Minister R. Ashoka said at the explosion site.
IANS reports two injured women, one of whom has a suffered fracture in her leg, are being treated at the KC General hospital, about five kilometres from the explosion site, told reporters.
Residents in the area told reporters that the blast shook the windowpanes of several houses.
Several vehicles were gutted but there was no damage to the party office in the explosion that was initially believed to be a cylinder blast.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said in Kolkata he has ordered an investigation. "I came to know of the Bangalore blast and will start an inquiry into the incident. I will also have interaction with the Karnataka government and the police department," Shinde told reporters.
In Delhi, BJP president Rajnath Singh said the central government had failed against terror. "Acts of terror are taking place across the country. It is a ground reality that there are several sleeper modules which are playing their roles in different places. The government is not making any effort to destroy these sleeper cells," Singh said.
The BJP office is located in the crowded residential locality of Malleshwaram in north Bangalore, about eight kilometres from the city centre.
Pachau said it was too early to say what kind of explosive had been used or who was responsible for the blast. "At this stage we cannot say what material has been used in the blast. Investigations are going on," he said.
Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok called the blast was "a clear act of terror" against the BJP. "It is a very clear act of terror--it is targeted at the BJP, our senior leaders and workers," said Ashoka. "100 per cent, it is targeted at BJP workers".
Ashok pointed out the blast occurred on April 17, the date when blasts near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the city injured several people three years ago. The minister since scores of party leaders and workers had been visiting the party office called "Jagannath Bhavan" for the past few day.
Three cars and several scooters were charred in the blaze that followed the blast. A police bus parked nearby was also badly damaged.
ABP TV news channel reported the motorcycle which is suspected to have been planted with explosives had a Tamil Nadu registered number plate.
Of the 16 injured, 11 are police personnel and five are civilians, including three women, Home Minister R. Ashoka said at the explosion site.
IANS reports two injured women, one of whom has a suffered fracture in her leg, are being treated at the KC General hospital, about five kilometres from the explosion site, told reporters.
Residents in the area told reporters that the blast shook the windowpanes of several houses.
Several vehicles were gutted but there was no damage to the party office in the explosion that was initially believed to be a cylinder blast.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said in Kolkata he has ordered an investigation. "I came to know of the Bangalore blast and will start an inquiry into the incident. I will also have interaction with the Karnataka government and the police department," Shinde told reporters.
In Delhi, BJP president Rajnath Singh said the central government had failed against terror. "Acts of terror are taking place across the country. It is a ground reality that there are several sleeper modules which are playing their roles in different places. The government is not making any effort to destroy these sleeper cells," Singh said.
The BJP office is located in the crowded residential locality of Malleshwaram in north Bangalore, about eight kilometres from the city centre.
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