Ahmedabad, July 26: A day after a series of explosions rocked the IT city of Bangalore, seventeen blasts went off in Ahmedabad Saturday evening. The areas targeted are Maninagar, Isanpur, Narol circle, Bapunagar, Hatkeshwar, Sarangpur bridge, Sarkhej, Odhav, Sardar Patel market, Civil hospital, Juhapura, Ambur tower building, Raipur and Gowribhadi. Reports suggest that nearly 30 people have been killed and 100 others injured. Lashkar and HuJI have claimed responsibility for the attack.
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The Prime Minister has announced ex gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh for the kin of those killed in explosions. The injured will be given Rs 50,000/- each. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has also announced compensation of Rs five lakhs to the families of those killed in the serial blasts. The state government has also announced compensation of Rs 50,000 to the injured.
17 in 90 minutes
All blasts went off in a span of 90 minutes starting 6:45 pm.
The first two blasts were reported in Chakla area of Raipur and Narole Circle of Maninagar. Then another blast was reported from Saranpur area of Raipur. Soon after another followed in Maninagar again.
Maninagar also happens to be the constituency of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Bapu Nagar and Diamond Market are in the Old City area which is very congested particularly on Saturday evening. Splinters from the explosion set off small fires in some areas.
A seventh explosion took place in Sarkhej. The bomb here went off in CNG bus.
In another market near Sabarmati River, eyewitness accounts suggest that two men were seen throwing a bag near the shops. Immediately after there was an explosion.
News has also come of blasts from Isanpur, Hatkeshwar, Amraiwadi, Govindvadi, Sattar Bapa Nagar, Johapura and Saraspur.
In the second wave of explosions, four blasts went off near hospitals, perhaps with the intention of hitting emergency services, which would have by then be struggling to cope with the casualties. Another blast was reported close to the trauma centre of one of Ahmedabad’s biggest hospitals, the Civil Hospital, where most of the victims were being rushed.
There are also reports that some explosions were in very close periphery. Again this may have been done to maximise casualties as rescuers were gathering to help the victims of the initial blasts.
Nature of Blasts
Though details are sketchy, it is believed that most of the bombs may have been placed on cycles, like was done Jaipur in May this year.
According to intelligence sources, the bombs were crude in nature which may have been set off by timer devices. The bombs contained parts of micro processors and quartz.
The same elements were found in bombs that went off in Bangalore yesterday.
Rescue Operations & High Alert
Police and ambulances immediately rushed to all the sites that had been targeted. All the injured have been rushed to the Civil and LG hospital.
A live bomb was found in the Gandhinagar Kalol area in the combing operations after the blast. The bomb was fixed with a timer device which was set to go off on 12 o’clock. Bomb disposal squads were out in full force sanitizing different parts of the city. Ahmedabad has been cordoned off from the rest of the state as authorities don’t want tensions to flare up.
Delhi, Mumbai, and other metros have been put on high alert. As has Tamil Nadu after indications that the ancient Meenakashi Temple may be on target. Security has been beefed up at all major temples as a precautionary measure.
Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have also been put on high alert.
The pattern of blasts in Ahmedabad seems very similar to those in Bangalore. However, the intensity of the explosions in Ahmedabad is slightly higher than those used in yesterday’s attack.
They also look like a very coordinated effort by terror organisations create panic across the country.
The Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to the people to maintain peace and asked the people to cooperate in maintaining law and order in the state. Modi convened a emergency meeting at the police headquarter in Gandhinagar and reviewed the security situation.
LeT, HuJI claim responsibility
Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami have claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad serial blasts.
Earlier, an organisation called Indian Mujahideen had sent an email warning of a wave of violence in Gujarat as a revenge for the riots in 2002. The email also warned Narnedra Modi, with an open challenge: “Stop us if you can”.
The 14-page email of the Indian Mujahideen also gave out the exact details of the cycle frame numbers that were going to be used and details of the exact locations. The previously unknown organization also took responsibility for the Mumbai and Jaipur blasts.
Claiming the Ahmedabad attack was against the post-Godhra violence in 2002, the group said that in the near future they will target the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Centre sends help
Madhukar Gupta, Union Home Secretary while confirming reports over 14 blasts, said that the Centre was in touch with the state security agencies and would render all help necessary.
He informed the media that a NSG commando team has already been dispatched to Ahmedabad and another team would be dispatched on Sunday.
Referring to the remarkable similarity of the serial blasts with those that took place in Bangalore yesterday, and in Jaipur in May, he said that the government would probe into the probable link of the between the three serial blasts.
He said that while there was no specific input regarding Ahmedabad, all the states had recently been issued a general advisory. A meeting had also been held to review the progress made in terrorist strikes cases.
The Home Secretary also said that a meeting of the DGs and the state Home Secretary would be held in the next few days to review the situation.
Meanwhile the Home Minister said that high level meeting had been convened at 11 am Sunday morning to take stock of all the recent terror attacks.
While 170 mm rainfall was recorded in Keonjhar, westernand interior Orissa were on the boil. Sundergarh and Titlagarhrecorded a maximum of 44.5 degrees.