Patil was carrying a tiffin-box bomb which exploded and wounded him
By TCN Staff Reporter,
Pune: The Pune city of Maharashtra this evening was rocked with low-intensity serials blasts within a range of one-kilometer. The first of four explosions took place around 7.30 p.m. near Balgandharva Rang Mandir, an auditorium on Junglee Maharaj Road when the tiffin-box bomb being carried by one Dayanand Patil exploded leaving Patil wounded. He was taken to hospital and later arrested by the Police as prime suspect of the blasts. However, Pune Police Commissioner Gulabrao Pol has ruled out terror angle and stated that it was a case of mischief.
According to the media reports, the explosions were set off by pencil cell detonators placed in a plastic bag, a dustbin and in cycles at two locations.
The first explosion occurred around 7.30 p.m. near Balgandharva Rang Mandir. Dayanand Patil, who was injured in the blast, was reportedly carrying a tiffin box filled with explosives. The box was kept in a plastic bag. The second explosion occurred in a dustbin outside the popular fast food joint McDonald’s. Soon after, the third and fourth blasts went off at Dena Bank and Garware Chowk, in the same vicinity, with the explosive material planted in cycles. Another bomb was defused by the police within the next one hour.
NDTV had tweeted: “Injured person being treated as a suspect…we want to know why he was carrying a packet: Home Secretary RK Singh.”
According to DNA newspaper, prime suspect Dayanad Patil has claimed innocence. Doctors treating Patil have said that Patil has injuries in three places, one minor injury below his belly, a 2×1 cm injury on his chin and burns above his eyelashes.
The paper has quoted him as saying: “I had left my tiffin and water bottle bag at the agitation, after a few minutes I went to take my bag and leave. After walking a few steps I realized the bag was heavy and so I opened the bag to check it. Before I could completely open the bag, it blasted.”
Given the low-intensity blasts in Delhi last year followed by major blasts at Delhi High Court that year, it is strange why the Police chief of Pune has ruled out any terror angle within one hour of the blast without proper and detailed investigation and questioning of the prime suspect.