Though a court order barred the electronic media from broadcasting CCTV footage of the German Bakery bomb blast, it remained available on the website www.youtube.com for a long time. On Friday, the Pune police decided to take steps to take the footage off the website.
Speaking to journalists, Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh said: “I have directed the ATS [Anti-Terrorism Squad] to do whatever is required to remove the footage from the website.”
“ATS working hard”
Amid speculation that the probe may be transferred to the National Investigation Agency as the ATS was not able to make any headway, Mr. Singh said the investigation was on the right track. The ATS was working hard on the case and had strong leads, he added.
Mr. Singh said the forensics science laboratory report — to ascertain the quantity of explosive and the triggering mechanism used — was still awaited.
Showing posts with label Pune blast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pune blast. Show all posts
Saturday, February 27, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pune blast probe may be handed over to NIA
With Maharashtra’s Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) unable to make any headway in Pune blast probe, the Union Home Ministry was contemplating to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Ministry sources said a final decision to this effect would be taken up in consultation with the Maharashtra government.
The Centre had earlier deputed a team of NIA, which has been created in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, to Pune. Therefore, there will not be any hassles in handing over the probe to NIA, the sources said.
The blast at popular eating joint German Bakery in Pune on February 13 had claimed 16 lives.
On the role of the NIA in the case, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had said earlier that a team from the new central investigating body has been sent on the spot to gain hands-on experience.
“There is no confusion. The ATS is investigating the case. I wanted the NIA officers to come so that they can have the first-hand immediate exposure to a terrorist crime. That is a new body,” he had said.
Ministry sources also said local police had sent a written advisory to the owners of German Bakery and others in October 2009 to beef up security by installing CCTV cameras and keep a check on suspicious objects in the vicinity.
The advisory was received by the bakery manager under his signature, they said.
Ministry sources said a final decision to this effect would be taken up in consultation with the Maharashtra government.
The Centre had earlier deputed a team of NIA, which has been created in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, to Pune. Therefore, there will not be any hassles in handing over the probe to NIA, the sources said.
The blast at popular eating joint German Bakery in Pune on February 13 had claimed 16 lives.
On the role of the NIA in the case, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had said earlier that a team from the new central investigating body has been sent on the spot to gain hands-on experience.
“There is no confusion. The ATS is investigating the case. I wanted the NIA officers to come so that they can have the first-hand immediate exposure to a terrorist crime. That is a new body,” he had said.
Ministry sources also said local police had sent a written advisory to the owners of German Bakery and others in October 2009 to beef up security by installing CCTV cameras and keep a check on suspicious objects in the vicinity.
The advisory was received by the bakery manager under his signature, they said.
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.
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.
Monday, February 22, 2010
‘Mobi bomb’ used in Pune bakery blast
Mobile phone bombs (mobi bombs) remain the preferred devices with terrorists as they find them easy to trigger an explosion. In the recent Pune blast, terrorists used pressure cooker and mobile phone combination to make the deadly device.
A team of Counter Intelligence and AP Forensic Science Laboratory experts which went to Pune to analyse the German Bakery explosion concluded that the terrorists stuffed explosive material in a pressure cooker and detonated it using a mobile phone.
The team returned to the city after briefing the Maharashtra police the mechanism used to trigger the bomb explosion. The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is now gathering clues on the mobile phone numbers that were in the cell tower area around the blast site and went silent after the explosion.
A police official with the Octopus said, “terror organisations like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Harkat-Ul-Jihadi-Al-Islami and Jaish-e-Mohammed use the mobile phone technology.”
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.”Thursday, February 18, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New jihadist group claims responsibility for Pune attack
Even as Maharashtra police investigators said little progress was made in identifying the perpetrators of Saturday’s bombing of the German Bakery in Pune, an unknown Pakistan-based jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the attack that claimed 10 lives.
Identifying himself as a spokesperson on behalf of a group calling itself the Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi, an individual using the code-name ‘Abu Jindal’ said the bombing was carried out because of India’s “refusal” to discuss the Kashmir issue in the coming talks with Pakistan.
‘Abu Jindal’ said he was calling from Miramshah in North Waziristan, and the telephone number used to make the call carried an area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the adjoining district in the North-West Frontier Province. When The Hindu tried calling back, though, a recorded voice message said the number was temporarily not in use.
No past communiqué was issued by the Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi, and terrorism experts in New Delhi told The Hindu that no such group was known to exist.
However, the caller — who appeared to be educated — said the group had split from the Lashkar-e-Taiba because it took orders from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
Earlier, al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist leader Illyas Kashmiri was reported to have sent an e-mail to a Pakistani journalist, claiming responsibility for the attack.
Indian intelligence sources said the claims appeared intended to deflect attention from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is emerging as the principal suspect for the attack. In the wake of the Lashkar’s 2008 attack on Mumbai, Pakistan had come under intense pressure to dismantle the terrorist group as well as its political-religious organisation, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa. It has, however, rejected international calls for such action. Despite official claims, Maharashtra police sources say there is little evidence as yet to link the bombing of the German Bakery with any perpetrator.
Identifying himself as a spokesperson on behalf of a group calling itself the Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi, an individual using the code-name ‘Abu Jindal’ said the bombing was carried out because of India’s “refusal” to discuss the Kashmir issue in the coming talks with Pakistan.
‘Abu Jindal’ said he was calling from Miramshah in North Waziristan, and the telephone number used to make the call carried an area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the adjoining district in the North-West Frontier Province. When The Hindu tried calling back, though, a recorded voice message said the number was temporarily not in use.
No past communiqué was issued by the Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi, and terrorism experts in New Delhi told The Hindu that no such group was known to exist.
However, the caller — who appeared to be educated — said the group had split from the Lashkar-e-Taiba because it took orders from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
Earlier, al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist leader Illyas Kashmiri was reported to have sent an e-mail to a Pakistani journalist, claiming responsibility for the attack.
Indian intelligence sources said the claims appeared intended to deflect attention from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is emerging as the principal suspect for the attack. In the wake of the Lashkar’s 2008 attack on Mumbai, Pakistan had come under intense pressure to dismantle the terrorist group as well as its political-religious organisation, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa. It has, however, rejected international calls for such action. Despite official claims, Maharashtra police sources say there is little evidence as yet to link the bombing of the German Bakery with any perpetrator.
Kerala government appoints pay revision commission
The Kerala Cabinet named a commission to recommend revision of pay scales of government employees on Wednesday.
Retired judge R. Rajendra Babu will head the commission, while Mohanan Pillai, fellow of the Centre for Development Studies, and advocate P. Venugopalan Nair will be the other members of the commission.
Announcing the decision after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan said that the terms of commission would cover promotions, pay structure and various benefits due to the employees.
Revision of pensions of retired employees would also come under the purview of the commission.
The term of the Commission would be six months and would have a secretariat with a staff strength of 30. (The last revision of pay scales of the government employees was in March 2006.)
Mr. Achuthanandan said that the Cabinet had approved a revision of the pay scales of the employees of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala, on par with the pay scales of government employees revised in 2006.
The Chief Minister expressed concern over the increasing incidents of terrorist attacks in the country. Referring to the bomb blast in Pune and the Maoist attack on Jawans in Midnapore, the Chief Minister said, “I strongly deplore these attacks. Activities of terrorists should be viewed with due seriousness and strong action taken to deal with the situation.”
Replying to a question, he said that Kerala was taking necessary steps to deal with the threat from terrorists.
Asked about PDP leader Abdul Nasir Maudhany excusing himself from reporting for questioning by Karnataka police in Bangalore in terrorism-related cases, the Chief Minister said that the appropriateaction would be taken in that regard.
Retired judge R. Rajendra Babu will head the commission, while Mohanan Pillai, fellow of the Centre for Development Studies, and advocate P. Venugopalan Nair will be the other members of the commission.
Announcing the decision after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan said that the terms of commission would cover promotions, pay structure and various benefits due to the employees.
Revision of pensions of retired employees would also come under the purview of the commission.
The term of the Commission would be six months and would have a secretariat with a staff strength of 30. (The last revision of pay scales of the government employees was in March 2006.)
Mr. Achuthanandan said that the Cabinet had approved a revision of the pay scales of the employees of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala, on par with the pay scales of government employees revised in 2006.
The Chief Minister expressed concern over the increasing incidents of terrorist attacks in the country. Referring to the bomb blast in Pune and the Maoist attack on Jawans in Midnapore, the Chief Minister said, “I strongly deplore these attacks. Activities of terrorists should be viewed with due seriousness and strong action taken to deal with the situation.”
Replying to a question, he said that Kerala was taking necessary steps to deal with the threat from terrorists.
Asked about PDP leader Abdul Nasir Maudhany excusing himself from reporting for questioning by Karnataka police in Bangalore in terrorism-related cases, the Chief Minister said that the appropriateaction would be taken in that regard.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Unknown Pakistani group claims responsibility for Pune blast
An unknown group calling itself the Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami claimed on Tuesday it was behind Saturday’s bomb attack in Pune that killed nine people.
A person who identified himself as Abu Jindal called The Hindu here, described himself as the spokesman of the LeT Al Alami (international), and claimed the group had carried out the attack because of what he said was India’s “refusal” to discuss Kashmir in the forthcoming talks with Pakistan.
The telephone number that showed up on the caller identity carried an area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the adjoining district in the North-West Frontier Province.
When this correspondent tried calling back the number, a recorded voice message said the number was temporarily not in use.
Kashmir jihadists do not believe in India-Pakistan talks on Kashmir and have long said their aim is to seize the State by force from India in order to “liberate” it, which makes the caller’s statement intriguing and difficult to reconcile with the standard jihadist line.
The caller also gave India’s “alliance” with America as another reason for the attack. Asked if there were any other reasons, he said: “These are the only two reasons”.
“Joh bhi America ka ittehad hoga, hum uskey khilaf jang ladengey, chahey who India ho ya Pakistan (we will wage war against any ally of America, whether it is India or Pakistan).”
He said the group had split from the Laskhar-e-Taiba because it took orders from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
The caller sounded like an educated boy in his late teens or early 20s. He said he was calling from Miramshah in North Waziristan and declined to divulge the name of the group’s leader. Asked how the group had carried out the Pune attack, he said it had its “sources” in India and had activated them to carry out the attack.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
U.S., U.K condemn blast
The U.S. and U.K. on Sunday condemned the bomb blast in Pune with Washington saying it will “assist” India as needed to help bring the perpetrators of the “cowardly act” to justice.
Offering his condolences, U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said: “On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend heartfelt sympathy to the Government of India and the victims” of the terror strike.
“The U.S. remains shoulder-to-shoulder with India in the fight against terror and will assist as needed to help bring the perpetrators of this cowardly act to justice,” Mr. Roemer said.
In a statement, the British High Commission condemned the Pune attack and expressed U.K.’s solidarity with India.
“We condemn the cowardly attack on innocent people in Pune. The U.K. expresses its wholehearted solidarity with India.
Our sympathies and condolences are with the families of all those affected in this incident,” it said.
In the first major attack since the 26/11 carnage, terror struck Pune on Saturday night as a powerful bomb ripped apart a popular bakery near a Jewish prayer house, killing nine people and injuring 57, including foreigners.
Offering his condolences, U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said: “On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend heartfelt sympathy to the Government of India and the victims” of the terror strike.
“The U.S. remains shoulder-to-shoulder with India in the fight against terror and will assist as needed to help bring the perpetrators of this cowardly act to justice,” Mr. Roemer said.
In a statement, the British High Commission condemned the Pune attack and expressed U.K.’s solidarity with India.
“We condemn the cowardly attack on innocent people in Pune. The U.K. expresses its wholehearted solidarity with India.
Our sympathies and condolences are with the families of all those affected in this incident,” it said.
In the first major attack since the 26/11 carnage, terror struck Pune on Saturday night as a powerful bomb ripped apart a popular bakery near a Jewish prayer house, killing nine people and injuring 57, including foreigners.
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.
