Bangalore: Two crude bombs exploded in quick
succession outside the M A Chinnaswamy cricket stadium here
on Saturday, minutes before an IPL match was to begin, leaving 15
persons injured and creating panic in the packed venue.
A third crude bomb was found near Gate number 8 of the
stadium, venue of the fixture between Bangalore Royal
Challengers and Mumbai Indians, but was defused, police said.
The first two explosions took place at around 3.15 PM. A
crude bomb hidden behind a plastic board near Gate number 12
exploded, leaving 15 persons injured, and damaging the
compound. Police said all the injured were out of danger and
only one was seriously injured.
The second blast took place near Anil Kumble circle, where
the bomb was kept hidden behind roadside bushes, but there
were no casualties.
The blasts led to a delayed start of the IPL match at the
stadium thronged by more than 35,000 spectators.
The injured included policemen and civilians, who suffered
missile and scalp injuries and complained of "loss of hearing"
and damage to ear-drums. They were treated at the nearby
Mallya hospital.
Forensic experts, anti-sabotage squads and explosive
detection teams were pressed into service, City Police
Commissioner Shankar Bidari said.
According to initial information, ammonium nitrate and
other material normally used for making crude bombs were
recovered from the blast sites.
Karnataka Home Minister V S Acharya said the blasts
appeared to be a "mischievous" attempt to create panic but the
police were investigating it from all angles.
Acharya told agency by telephone from his hometown of Udupi
that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is in touch with the
state government which was also in the process of sending a
report to the Centre on the low-intensity explosions.
Pointing out that the blasts took place not inside the
stadium or at its gates, he said police had undertaken "all
the conventional checking". Police would now have to take
"special care" in such scenarios in future.
"Looks like it was done to create an alarm. We are
investigating from all angles. It`s a mischievous attempt to
create panic", Acharya added.
Bangalore Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said the 10
persons undergoing treatment included a head constable, four
constables, two security guards and three civilians.
The City Crime Branch (CCB) has been entrusted with the
investigations into the blasts.
Forensic experts, along with bomb disposal squads,
conducted extensive searches around the stadium for explosive
materials.
The Royal Challengers were initially hesitant to play after
the blasts but later took to the field.
The match began after a 45-minute delay after police gave
the green signal for it.
PTI
