Ahmedabad, May 29
In a serious setback to the 10-day-old peace and reconciliation process in the riot-torn Gujarat, four bombs exploded simultaneously in city buses today, injuring at least 15 persons, while eight stick bombs fitted with timers were seized and defused. The blasts took place during the rush hour, around 10 am, in municipality-run buses in the majority community areas of Ahmedabad, which had already borne the maximum brunt of the communal rage during the past three months.
The explosions caused by "very crude bombs" occurred in two buses at Vasna, one in Gokul and one on the Geeta Mandir road, the police said, adding that the injured, including at least three women, were rushed to hospital.
The state Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, took a serious note of the development and described the explosions as "acts of terrorism".
The Cabinet also decided to investigate the incident and take immediate action against the culprits, Angriculture Minister Purushottam Rupala told reporters.
"It was a mischievous work to create panic and derail the peace process," a senior police official who visited the sites said, adding, "Very crude bombs were planted and all three exploded at around the same time".
Immediately after the explosion, the police went on alert and searches were carried out in all buses.
At least eight stick bombs with timer devices were seized from tiffin boxes kept under seats in eight buses in the Kalupur terminus, the police said.
The explosions occurred a day after three persons allegedly having links with Sangh Parivar outfits were arrested in connection with the killing of 86 persons, mostly from a minority community, by a rioting mob at Naroda Patiya on February 28.
The police suspects the blasts were planned. “Prima facie there seems that there is some planning to it,” Mr K.K. Ojha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said.
PTI
