Sketch of 3rd suspect in Gorakhpur blasts released

Gorakhpur, May 28 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh Police this evening released the sketch of a third suspect in the triple blasts, which rocked the district on May 22.

The sketch of third suspect Manoj was released by Senior Superintendent of Police R K Rai here.

''The sketch was prepared on the basis of clues provided by a shopkeeper, from whom Manoj had purchased the third bicycle used in the serial blasts,'' Mr Rai informed.

Meanwhile, the improved sketches of two other accused Sameer (16) and Iftikhar (22) were also released.

Earlier, the sketches of Sameer and Iftikhar, who hail from Gol Ghar and Maya Bazar areas respectively, were released on May 24.

At least four persons were wounded in the three explosions within five minutes of each other between 1900 hrs and 1915 hrs at a petrol pump, Baldev Plaza Market and Hotel York respectively in Gorakhpur.

The explosives were placed in tiffin boxes clinging to two old and one newly-purchased bicycles.

The UP STF had neen handed over the probe into the case. The STF had successfully cracked the March 7, 2006 serial blasts at Sankatmochan temple and cantonment railway station in Varanasi and July 5, 2005 blast at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya.

UNI