Pune city was rocked by four low intensity blasts on Wednesday evening, injuring two persons.
The first three blasts occurred in quick successions at about 7.30 p.m. in and around the Jungli Maharaj Road. Even as the police swung into action, reports of a fourth blast arrived from a fourth location. Coincidentally newly appointed union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was scheduled to visit the city in the evening.
Though the blast sites are densely populated areas with heavy traffic flowing during morning and evening, as the explosion was of a very low intensity, the damage was minimal. The three blast sites include Dena Bank, Bal Gandharva auditorium and McDonalds while the fourth blast occurred at Garware Chowk.
Near the Dena Bank, the explosive was placed in a cycle basket, at McDonalds, it was placed in a dustbin while at the auditorium, the explosion was in a cake being carried by person in a plastic bag. The person, identified by his surname Patil, was rushed to a government hospital.
“One improvised explosive device has been found. Investigation is on to determine the groups behind. At the moment we cannot say if its Indian Mujahideen or any other group behind,” home secretary R K Singh said.
Though the terror angle was initially thought unlikely as the blasts were low-key, the fact that the blasts were seemingly coordinated and used similar explosive devices on the day of a Cabinet minister’s visit has raised the antennae for security agencies.