Pune blasts: Cops suspect new terror module behind attack

PUNE: The investigating agencies suspect that a new terror module engineered Wednesday's blasts on Jangli Maharaj road here. The suspicion stems from the nature of the material used in the bombs and the modus operandi of the group, crime branch sources said.

The investigators believe five to six persons carried out the blasts. They said they are yet to determine whether the new module is directly linked to or is a splinter outfit of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), which was involved in the German Bakery blast and several other terror attacks across the country.

Officers from the Gujarat anti-terrorism squad (ATS), who are in Pune, are examining the sketches of the two men who purchased bicycles from a shop at Phadke Haud in the city around eight hours before the first bomb went off. Three bombs were strapped onto three bicycles, two of which were traced to the shop. The sketches were prepared based on the description given by the bicycle shop owner and his two employees.

A special team of the Pune police is checking the registers of all lodges in the city and also questioning their owners to try and get any leads about the persons involved in the blasts.

The crime branch as well as the ATS are examining the CCTV footage taken from shops on Jangli Maharaj road, Phadke Haud and Shaniwar Peth. The men who purchased the bicycles from Phadke Haud are suspected to have taken the Shaniwar Peth route.

The investigating agencies are also looking at the possible involvement of Maoists, extremist right-wing Hindutva groups and other extremist Islamic outfits in the blasts. Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh Maria, who is camping in Pune to supervise the investigations , has formed three teams, each headed by a deputy commissioner of police, to look into each angle.

Home ministry sources said the involvement of Maoists was unlikely. However,the investigating agencies in Pune said they have taken cognizance of the Maoist angle as posters on Naxal propaganda had been found at a few places in the city over the last four months.