M A I N   N E W S

Bikers kill 5, injure 80 in two towns
Terrorists pick Modasa in Gujarat and Malegaon this time
Malegaon under curfew as violence erupts
Tribune News Service & Agencies

17 crude bombs were defused in Ahmedabad on Monday noon— PTI

Malegaon/Banaskantha, September 29
At least five persons, including a 15-year-old boy, were killed and 80 injured tonight as terrorists set off bomb blasts in the communally-sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtra and Modasa town in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district.

Curfew was imposed in the eastern part of communally sensitive powerloom town of Malegaon after the blast and stone-pelting by a mob.Four persons perished and more than 70 were injured when a bomb went off at a hotel near a mosque in the busy Bhikhu Chowk area in Malegaon, police sources said.

A silver coloured motorcycle was found parked near the site of the blast, the police said.The mob pelted the police with stones and the jeep of the sub-divisional-magistrate was also damaged.

The police fired in the air to disperse the crowd. Five policemen, including Additional SP Viresh Prabhu, were among the injured in the stone-pelting by the irate mob, the police said.

In Modasa, a 15-year-old was killed and 10 others were injured when an explosive device fitted to a motorcycle went off, Banaskantha district SP R.B. Brahmbatt said. “One boy was killed and 10 injured in a low-intensity blast in Suka Bazar area of Modasa town,” Sabarkantha district collector N. Narsan said.

“Our primary investigation shows that two guys had kept a bag on a parked motorcycle which exploded. Suka Bazar is a congested area,” he said.

Brahmbhatt said the blast took place in the Muslim-dominated locality of Modasa town at around 9.30 hours when the place was crowded following the breaking of the Ramzan fast.

Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah said a red alert had been sounded and security stepped up in the state where Navratri festival begins tomorrow.

Earlier today, 17 crude bombs were found near the communally sensitive locality of Kalupurdarvaja in Ahmedabad.

200 kg ammonium nitrate recovered

In Allahabad 200 kg of highly-explosive ammonium nitrate was recovered from a remote village here but the police ruled out the possibility of any subversive activity in the area.

The explosive, stacked in 14 sacks, were recovered from one Rajesh Kumar in the Shankargarh police station area late last night, the police said.

They said during interrogation Rajesh revealed that he worked for one Gulab Singh Patel, who fled upon noticing the police, and that they used to sell the explosives to those involved in stone chips trade, which is a thriving business in the Shankargarh area.

Just two days ago, a low-intensity bomb rocked Mehrauli in Delhi, killing two persons. Before that the Capital saw coordinated bombings on September 13 that killed 24 persons and injured over a 100. Meanwhile, the UP anti-terrorist squad picked up an alleged Indian Mujahideen suspect at the Charbagh railway station claiming him to be involved in the Ahmedabad and Lucknow court blasts.

Briefing the media, DGP Vikram Singh described today's arrest as a major success. He said Mohammad Arif, a resident of Sanjarpur village in Azamgarh, was living in a rented room in Daliganj area. He was preparing for the CPMT entrance exam and received his funds though the hawala system, informed Singh.