Rs one lakh reward for providing leads in Varanasi blasts

Varanasi, Mar 10: Even as Uttar Pradesh government today (Mar 10, 2006) announced a reward of Rs one lakh to anyone providing leads into Tuesday's ghastly serial bomb blasts here, an Anti-terrorism Wing has been constituted in the Special Task Force (STF) of UP Police.

DGP Yashpal Singh said here today the probe into the bomb blasts was progressing in the right direction and would bear fruits soon.

The twin blasts at Sankatmochan temple and Cantonment Railway Station here had claimed at least 17 lives and wounded scores of others at both the places.

''Anti-terrorism Wing had been formed to keep vigil on the movement and activities of terrorists in the state. It will also study in detail the terrorist attacks in Ayodhya and Varanasi,'' he said.

''The STF probing the incident is in constant touch with the police of 10 states including Jammu&Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi and West Bengal,'' Mr Singh added.

The DGP claimed that ammonium nitrate was used in the Varanasi blasts. He also drew parallel between the Varanasi blasts and the terrorist attacks in Delhi on the eve of Diwali last year.

Yesterday, police had issued computer sketch of two persons found roaming in suspicious manner in Godolia area here, where two live bombs were difused following the blast at Sankatmochan temple.

Earlier, the DGP visited the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanwapi complex and took stock of the security situation.

Meanwhile, the UP Police will re-investigate last year's blast at the Dashashwamedh Ghat here and take action against policemen concerned if the found guilty of showing laxity in the earlier probe.

Nine persons had died in the Dashashwamedh Ghat blast in February 2005. Police had claimed that the explosion was caused by a domestic cooking gas cylinder. However, people believed it was triggered by explosives.

UNI

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