Pune blast toll rises to 17

The death toll in the February 13 German Bakery blast here rose to 17 with a 23-year-old woman succumbing to injuries on Friday night, hospital sources said.

The victim, Aditi Jindal, was from Chandigarh and undergoing treatment in Inlaks and Budhrani hospital, sources added.

A 21-year-old Sudanese student Anas AlFatih Suleiman passed away at Jehangir Hospital on February 24. He is the fourth foreigner to die in the blast that rocked the popular eatery in Koregaon Park.

The blast claimed lives of three other foreigners — a 26-year-old Sudanese student Amjad Elgazoli, an Italian woman Nadia Macerini and an Iranian man Sayyed Syed Khani — besides injuring more than 50 people.

Pune blast toll goes up to 16

A 21-year-old Sudanese student succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the February 13 Pune blast, raising the toll to 16, police said here on Wednesday.

The victim — Anaj Alfateh Sulaiman — was in the intensive care unit of the Jehangir Hospital here and breathed his last at 5.15 am on Wednesday, an official said, adding that arrangements were being made to hand over the body to his relatives.

Sulaiman, who was a first year BA student of Pune College, became the fifth foreign national who fell victim to the blast that ripped through the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area.

Presently, 13 people injured in the blast have been undergoing treatment in various city hospitals. Among them the condition of at least four is stated to be critical.

Meanwhile, police have tightened security all over Pune and are enforcing several measures, including prohibition on two-wheeler drivers and pillion riders wearing face masks and scarves.

Friends, well-wishers of Pune blast victims take out peace march in Mumbai

Anguished friends and well-wishers of the victims of the German Bakery bomb blast in Pune took out a peace march along the Marine Drive here on Sunday.

“September 13, Delhi; November 26, Mumbai; February 13, Pune what next?,” “Who will answer for their deaths?,” “You can’t win by bombs” and “Be vigilant, stop accepting” were the messages flashed across the placards raised by a group of around 25 youths.

A wake-up call

“We feel this is a wake-up call for everyone. We don’t want people, the government, or the media to forget. We would like the government to take a strong stand, not just pass around documents. We want the government to ask for extradition. The government knows what is best and we support it. We just want them to do what is best. The government should realise it has a bigger responsibility,” Vidit Saxena, a friend of victim Ankik Dhar and a fellow IITian told The Hindu.

Sudeep Chakraborty, a childhood friend of Anindyee Dhar, Ankik’s sister who also died in the blast, said that a simultaneous peace march was to take place in four other cities, Delhi, Ranchi, Kolkata and Chandigarh. “We could not do it in Pune as we did not get the permission owing to security concerns,” he said.

From their schooldays in Kolkata, Sudeep remembers Anindyee as “a lively and enthusiastic person” who liked writing and played various sports. The brother-sister duo is survived by a younger brother who is currently studying for his Standard 12 board exams.

The family is trying to cope with the tragedy. “Their mother broke down on the spot; the father was strong, but now its the other way round,” Sudeep said.

Many of Ankik’s friends from college and workplace (he passed out of IIT, Kharagpur and worked in Mumbai) raved about his multifarious talents. “He would excel in everything and was curious about everything. Whenever any of us was in trouble, he would say Just chill. He was the most popular guy in college,” Sumit Wadhwa and Vidit said.

“We are so used to hearing about blasts. I was in a cinema hall when I heard the about the incident. Initially, I did not think much of it. I did not think much of the fact that Shilpa’s mobile was not reachable. But all of a sudden it struck me that she was in Pune and her phone could not be reached. I heard from friends that Ankik had been identified [among the dead]. I rushed out of the movie and headed to Pune. I identified Shilpa in the hospital. I was told that her legs had been severed from the body. Her face was covered with blood and badly marred, but I could identify her,” said Milind Thaker, Shilpa Goenka’s friend and office colleague.

He said Shilpa who hailed from a conservative family was the first member to become an engineer.

Speaking of her generous nature, Milind said, “She was always there for us in all ups and downs. She believed in charity and ran in the [Mumbai] marathon. It was her dream to set up an educational trust for girls. Her parents are now trying to make that dream come alive.”

Kolkata youth succumbs, Pune blast toll 14

A 23-year-old student from Kolkata, who was injured in the February 13 terror blast, died at a hospital here early Sunday, taking the toll to 14. Rajeev Agarwal was a final year law student of the Symbiosis Law College.

Six more patients continue to be critical in intensive care units of different city hospitals while 33 others are undergoing treatment for injuries.

Mr. Rajeev breathed his last at 5.45 a.m. in Jehangir Hospital here, an official from the Pune police control room said.

His body will be handed over to his father - who arrived here from Kolkata a few days ago - after completing the relevant formalities, the official said.

Four among those who lost their lives in the terror blast that ripped through the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area are foreigners.

Police have tightened security in all parts of Pune and implemented several measures in this regard, Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said here Saturday.

These include prohibiting two-wheeler drivers from covering their faces in any manner, including wearing face masks and scarves - a part of normal attire in Pune since the outbreak of Swine-flu in May last year.

A security sensitization programme has been undertaken in 103 educational institutions covering over 40,000 students in the past three days.

Combing operations are continuing in different parts of the city “or wherever there is suspicion,” Mr. Singh said.

Obama speaks to Manmohan, condemns Pune blast

US President Barack Obama on Thursday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and condemned last week’s terror blast in Pune that has claimed 11 lives.

In the brief telephonic conversation, Mr. Obama condoled the loss of lives, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“The two leaders took the opportunity to review developments in Indo-US relations,” it said.

The Obama administration has offered FBI help in the investigation into Saturday’s blast at the German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune’s posh Koregaon Park area.

The US State Department has said it is working with India and Pakistan to combat the threats the three countries face from terrorist and extremist groups.

“The information we have shared so far has been quite unprecedented, and we intend to continue to working with the Government of India to try and protect our two societies from these types of attacks,” Acting US State Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid said.

Pune blast: Two persons detained

Two persons with suspected links to Indian Mujahideen were detained by police early Tuesday morning in connection with the February 13 German Bakery blast here.

The suspects were picked up from Janwadi area in Pune and Kudalwadi in the neighbouring industrial township of Pimpri, police sources said.

One of the suspects who were nabbed from Kudalwadi area is believed to have been associated with Indian Mujahideen leader Riyaz Bhatkal during his stay here, they said.

The other suspect from Janwadi locality was reportedly associated with Shabbir Gangawali, a cleric linked with Indian Mujahideen. He was also involved in a fake currency racket.

Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh had on Monday said that investigations into the blast which left nine dead and 60 injured was on the “right track”.

CCTV footage reveals vital clues in Pune blast

Investigating agencies have managed to find out vital clues from the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage that was obtained of the front area of German Bakery, where the blast took place on Saturday at around 7 p.m.

Sources said the CCTV footage of the German Bakery at the time of the blast, reveals vital clues.

The CCTV footage of a five star hotel, exactly the opposite to German Bakery shows two suspects and has also captured images of these two men. In the footage, one of them is talking on the cell phone, while the other standing next to him is holding a bag.

The investigating agencies are hoping that the footages captured by the CCTV cameras would provide them important clues to the whole incident.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has taken the possession of the footage and is monitoring the images along with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Delhi.

Maharashtra ATS Chief K P Raghuvanshi is heading the blast probe.

The bomb, which killed nine people and wounded at least 57, is seen as the first major attack on India since the 2008 Mumbai massacre and appeared to target Indian and foreign tourists.

The blast took place at the German Bakery, located close to the Osho Ashram and Chabad House, a Jewish prayer house, at around 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Nine people, including two foreigners, were killed and around 57 injured including 12 foreign nationals- five Iranians, two each from Sudan and Nepal, one each from Yeman, Taiwan and Germany in Saturday's bomb blast at the German Bakery.

9 killed, 40 injured in Pune bomb blast

In a major terror strike after the November 26, 2008 carnage in Mumbai, nine persons including four foreigners, all women, were killed and over 40 injured in a bomb blast which ravaged the famous German Bakery on North Main Avenue in Pune's Koregaon Park near the Osho Ashram around 7.30 pm on Saturday. Unofficial figures put the number of injured at 50.

Initially the police said it was a gas cylinder blast, but the explosion is now suspected to be an improvised explosive device (IED) using an ammonium nitrate fuel oil mix, with RDX as a booster, police sources said. About 7 kg explosives may have been used. The bodies were charred beyond recognition. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said preliminary reports indicated that it was a bomb blast.

An eyewitness who was travelling in an autorickshaw said he heard a loud explosion and blacked out. Another eyewitness said bodies were scattered and more than 10 were seen at the site. Four shops were damaged near the bakery, which has been there for 22 years.

The bag containing the bomb was said to be under a table, according to one account, and a waiter is said to have tried to open it. This caused the explosion which devastated the bakery, located near the Jewish Chabad House. A customer said he heard the blast, but escaped unhurt. There were bodies lying all around, he said.

Sources said the bakery was close to a hotel where Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley had stayed while visiting Osho Ashram. However, Headley did not recce this bakery.

Soon after the blast, an unidentified bag was found in an autorickshaw. It contained 7 kg of explosives.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has also reached Pune, apart from forensic experts. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will reach there by Sunday.

The blast has sent shockwaves in Pune, prompting a high alert in Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra. The police have been asked to look out for unattended baggage.

Joint Commissioner of Police Rajendra Sonawane said that prima facie it looked like a bomb blast.

Congress city president Abhay Chhajed confirmed the number of deaths. "I myself have seen six bodies at the Sassoon Hospital. There are more at other hospitals." He said the injured had been taken to Ruby Hall, Jehangir, Budhrani and Sassoon hospitals in the city.

The bakery is a popular spot with foreign tourists. Six or eight of the injured are said to be foreign nationals.

Mr. Chavan has announced ex gratia payment of Rs. 1 lakh to each of the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.

Security for the Indian and South African cricket teams has been tightened. The second test match is beginning in Kolkata on Sunday.

Pune MP Suresh Kalmadi said: "I appeal to the people of Pune to be calm. Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe, who is at the site, has confirmed to me that it was bomb blast. Further details are awaited."

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and other leaders have appealed for calm after the incident.

5 feared killed, 21 injured in Pune bakery blast

At least five people were feared to have been killed and 21, including foreigners, wounded in a blast at a popular bakery in Koregaon Park here this evening.

The blast took place at the German Bakery, an old business establishment, in a locality which also houses Osho Ashram frequented by foreigners.

A team of Anti-Terrorism Squad and bomb disposal squad visited the spot to ascertain the nature of the blast.