Nanded blasts to be probed by ATS: R R Patil

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, May 14 (UNI) The April 6 Nanded blasts which two youths were killed on the spot, will also be investigated by the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Mumbai police, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said today.

Talking to newspersons at the police commissionerate here, he said that since the Parbhani and Nanded police, who were investigating the last year's blasts in the mosques at Purna and Parbhani separately, the twin cases would now be looked into by a single agency.

''With this, we might get links to the blasts,'' he said.

Mr Patil, who also holds Home portfolio, lauded the police for unearthing the designs of the terrorist outfits by seizing a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Earlier on three occasions, the state police had foiled terrorists' attempts, but the seizure in Aurangabad turned out be the biggest ever arms catch, he added.

He pointed out that the terrorists might be planning to use some indiscreet place in the region for storage of arms and ammunition to be transported to some other place.

''So far we thought that the terrorists might target Mumbai, but the Aurangabad seizure has led us to rethink over this line. The Maharashtra police are alert and that has been proved by the seizure of arms and ammunition and RDX in time. We will not allow terrorists to carry out their designs in the state,'' he emphasised.

To a query, he denied that Aurangabad has become a hub of terrorist activities, saying ''if a student in a class becomes rowdy that does not mean the entire class has become unruly.'' On the yesterday's lathicharge on medical students protesting against reservations in Mumbai, he said ''the students had reached the Raj Bhavan, which is a protected area. I did not like the idea of cane attack on the protesting students, but we have to study the circumstances which compelled the police to resort to lathi charge.

Earlier, Mr Patil reviewed the law and order situation in Marathwada and said it was by and large satisfactory, except increasing incidents of dacoities and thefts in the Beed district.

''We have directed the officials concerned to pay more attention to curb such incidents, he added.

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