4 minor bomb blasts in Pune 3 injured

Pune this evening (01-08-2012) saw four low-intensity blasts in a span of seven minutes. One person has been injured. The explosions took place between 7.28 and 7.35 pm during rush hour in the heart of the city on the busy Junglee Maharaj Road, crowded with restaurants, shops and the large Sambhaji Park, popular for family outings in the evening. The blasts took place outside the Balgandharva auditorium used to stage plays, at a statue near that theatre, opposite a McDonalds outlet and near a bank. A bomb opposite a bus stand was placed on a cycle; sources say it was hooked up to sophisticated circuitry.

Sushil Kumar Shinde, who took over today as Home Minister, was scheduled to be in the city tonight to preside over a prize-giving ceremony. He cancelled his plans at the last minute. The Anti-Terror Squad is at the location of the blasts; the area has been cordoned off.  Sources say that there seems to be some sort of attempt to create panic on one of the city’s most-used arterial roads.

In February 2010, 17 people were killed in a bomb blast at the popular German Bakery near Pune’s famous Osho ashram. After being arrested in the US, Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley confessed to having filmed the bakery to help in the planning and execution of the terror attack.

Dustbin outside McDonald in Bal Gandharva Chowk, Dustbin opposite McDonald near Dena Bank, and near R Deccan Mall. Two bombs were planted in baskets on bicycles, and the two in dustbins were in plastic bags. Ammonium Nitrate is said to have been used. 9 volt batteries were used to trigger the blast.

Four low-intensity bomb blasts in quick succession shook Pune on Wednesday evening injuring at least one person. While the first three blasts took place within a radius of one km at the Jungli Maharaj Road, the fourth blast was reported from the Garware Chowk.