Bangalore serial blasts: A day after

Bangalore, Jul 26: A day after eight serial blasts ripped Bangalore, the IT hub of the nation, the police are still clueless and are trying to establish the hand of terror outfits like Lashkar-e-toiba and the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) behind the attacks. The blast killed one women and injured 15.

According to the Intelligence sources, the serial blasts in Bangalore could be a 'retaliatory attack' by the LeT and SIMI operatives, even as the Centre has not named anyone yet for the terror strike. However, the low intensity explosives used and the pattern of the attack has agencies not ruling out the hand of the usual suspect, the Bangladeshi terror outfit - Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HuJI).

Eight low-intensity devices exploded at construction sites, bus stops and roadside shops on Friday, July 25, four of them on a two kilometer (1.2-mile) stretch on Hosur Road leading to Electronics City, were many technology companies are housed.

Terrorist attacks in Indian cities have killed more than 140 people in the past year as bombs strapped to bicycles, hidden under cinema-hall seats and near market stalls have targeted civilians. While the government typically blames foreign-trained terrorists, most of the attacks are unsolved.

"We are yet to ascertain the cause of the explosions and how they were triggered,'' Shankar Bidari, the State Police Commissioner said. The blasts are the first attempted bombings in the southern Indian city, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on the campus of the Indian Institute of Science in December 2005, killing one scientist and injuring four.

The major IT companies of India Infosys Technologies Ltd, Wipro Ltd and Indian units of Intel Corp. and Yahoo Inc. are situated in Bangalore. "Our initial information says there are two people who died,'' Deputy Commissioner of Police, N D Mulla, said in Bangalore. "We do not have confirmation on the second person.'' Police dogs were deployed at the sites of the blasts, which damaged walls and nearby cigarette kiosks.

"Such incidents will not deter the government from pursuing its policy of dealing with anti-national elements in a resolute manner,'' India's Home Minister Shivraj Patil said to the media on Saturday, July 26 in New Delhi.

Software companies in Bangalore said the blasts didn't disrupt their functioning.

"Everybody is fine in the campus and things are going on as normal,'' Infosys Chief Executive Officer S Gopalakrishnan said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the serial blasts and urged Bangalore's residents to "remain calm and maintain communal harmony,''. The Prime Minister also sanctioned an ex-gratia payment of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of those dead and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the blasts. He expressed grief over the loss of lives and sent his condolences to the families of the bereaved, PM's Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru said in a statement.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the federal government is taking steps to assist state governments to strengthen their intelligence machinery.

Terror struck the IT capital today with at least six low intensity serial blasts rocking the southern city leaving two dead and several injured.

CISF security cover for IT industry in Bangalore:Patil

With the country's IT hub in Bangalore coming under terror radar, the Centre on Friday, July 25 said it was ready to amend the law to allow the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) to provide security cover for the billion dollar Information Technology industries.

Bangalore, the garden city is home to some 1,500 foreign and domestic firms including IT majors like Infosys and Wipro. "We have decided to provide security to private sector also especially the IT industry in Bangalore. IT sector has come up verey well and we are ready to amend the law and provide security to them," Patil said.

Patil said the Centre was always ready to provide CISF personnel for the IT industry but the law only allowed Public Sector Units(PSUs) to have the benefit of this para-military organisation.

Fear grips Bangaloreans

It was near chaos in the Garden city after serial bombings in seven of the city's central areas and crowded streets claimed a life and injured several others.

As the news of the blasts spread, major shopping malls and schools were closed down even as police swarmed the city roads. Traffic went haywire as police put up barricades and closed down certain roads. Many people, mostly office-goers, chose to leave for their homes after the blasts.

Bomb disposal unit of the Bangalore police along with the dog squad were also put into service. Trained Labradors were seen sniffing through the blasts spots. One could also see policemen checking cars parked near the blasts scene even as they frisked people carrying bags.

The crude bombs, concealed near refugee camps and roadside stuffed with nuts and bolts, exploded during the busy lunch hour at Adugodi, Madivala, Nayandahalli, Pantharapalya and Vittal Mallya Road on Friday, July 25.

The city was reminded of IISc terrorist attack in 2005 which left a professor of the prestigious institute dead.

High alert in states

Several states were put on a high security alert with deployment of additional forces in and around key installations and religious places in the wake of the terror attacks in Bangalore on Friday, July 25.

Andhra Pradesh was put on high alert with security beefed up particularly in Hyderabad and special police teams posted at vulnerable places. Other states like Goa, Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu were also put on a high alert.

A series of blasts have created havoc in the country in past few years.

Chronology of recent blasts in the nation:

July 20, 2008: Landmine blast kills 8 Army men in JK

June 30, 2008: Blast kills 5 in Assam

May 13, 2008: Eight serial blasts rock Jaipur in a span of 12 minutes leaving 65 dead and over 150 injured.

January 2008: Terrorist attack on CRPF camp in Rampur kills eight.

October 2007: 2 killed in a blast inside Ajmer Sharif shrine during Ramadan, in Rajasthan.

August 2007: 30 dead, 60 hurt in Hyderabad 'terror'strike.

May 2007: A bomb at Mecca mosque in Hyderabad kills 11 people.

February 19, 2007: Two bombs explode aboard a train bound from India to Pakistan, burning to death at least 66 passengers, most of them Pakistanis.

September 2006: 30 dead and 100 hurt in twin blasts at a mosque in Malegaon.

July 2006: Seven bombs on Mumbai's trains kill over 200 and injure 700 others.

March 2006: Twin bombings at a train station and a temple in Varanasi kill 20 people.

October 2005: Three bombs placed in busy New Delhi markets a day before Diwali kill 62 people and injure hundreds.

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