By IANS
Hyderabad : Lumbini Park, the scene of one of Saturday’s twin blasts here which claimed 43 lives, reopened Thursday but few visitors turned out, even as hunt was on to nab those behind the terror act.
Amid tight security arrangements, the park abutting the picturesque Hussain Sagar Lake in the heart of the city, as well as the nearby NTR Gardens, which also remained closed for five days, were thrown open to public.
Eleven people were killed in the blast during a laser show at the amusement hub of Lumbini Park Saturday night. Minutes later the second bomb went off at Gokul Chat, a famous eatery, claiming 32 lives.
A metal detector was installed at the entrance of the reopened park while dozens of policemen were deployed around. The security personnel were frisking the visitors, who were also asked to deposit their bags at a counter set up near the entrance.
However, only a few visitors turned up Thursday evening, as the city is yet to overcome the shock of twin blasts. The number of visitors to all major parks, cinema theatres and shopping malls has declined sharply after the blasts.
Lumbini Park, NTR Garden, Necklace Road and a couple of other places surrounding the lake are major tourist attractions in the city.
Investigating the worst terror attack in south India, the Hyderabad police earlier Thursday took two people into custody who resembled the suspect – whose sketch was released Wednesday – who planted a bomb.
However, both turned out to be innocent.
One of them, detained in Balapur area, turned out to be an innocent doctor.
In the second case a person travelling from Nalgonda to Hyderabad city was detained by police soon after the bus reached Malakpet neighbourhood in the city. The arrest was made on the information provided by a person travelling in the same bus.
The city police late Wednesday raided the well-known Darul Uloom madrassa here to look for a suspect.
Hours after releasing the sketch of the suspected bomb planter at Lumbini Park, a police team conducted a search at the seminary located at Shivrampalli, run by eminent religious scholar Moulana Hameeduddin Auqil Hussami.
Interestingly, Auqil Hussami is the convenor of the Muslim United Front, comprising various Muslim groups including Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, considered an ally of the ruling Congress.
Auqil Hussami’s son-in-law and a secretary of the madrassa, Raheemuddin Ansari, is chairman of Urdu Academy, a government-run body. Darul Uloom is one of the oldest and biggest madrassas in India.
The police team checked the madrassa records and wanted to know from the teachers and staff if any Pakistani or Bangladeshi was studying there. The teachers said the police officials were enquiring about a suspect, Mujeebur Rehman.
Meanwhile, dozens of police teams were looking for RDX believed to be hidden in the city. Only 800 grams of 15 kg of RDX reportedly smuggled into the city was used in the Mecca Masjid blast here May 18. The remaining RDX is yet to be traced.
Neo Gel 90, a form of ammonium nitrate, was used in Saturday’s blasts but fearing that terrorists might use the remaining RDX, the police teams have intensified their search.
Sameer alias Nayeem, an alleged operative of Lashkar-e-Toiba who was brought from Maharashtra after the mosque blast, had reportedly told police that 15 kg of RDX was smuggled into the country.
Police officials said there was no specific information as to how much RDX was actually brought into the city.
About 100 teams formed by the police commissioner two days ago have intensified checking of vehicles, lodges and other public places. They are asking people at hotels and parks to remain alert and report any suspicious-looking person.
Meanwhile, hoax calls continued to create panic among people. Anonymous callers Thursday said bombs were planted in a school and the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute. Both calls turned out to be a hoax after bomb disposal squads carried out thorough checks.