Bangalore, April 17, 2013:
Photos by Gangadhar Pujar
The explosion reportedly took place near a temple just 100 metres away from the BJP headquarters ‘Jagannatha Bhavana’. At first instance the cause for the explosion was claimed to be a LPG cylinder blast however City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar told media that preliminary investigations proved it be a bomb blast.
The terror strike at about 10.30 am on Wednesday left 16 people, including 11 policemen, injured. The blast was apparently targeting the Karnataka BJP city office buzzing with activity ahead of the May 5 Assembly polls.
Deputy Chief Minister and Home minister R Ashok described it as a ‘clear act of terror’ targeted at the party workers and its leaders.
However the incident took an ugly turn following a reaction by senior congress leader Shakeel Ahmad in tweeter. “If the blast near BJP’s office in Bangalore is a terror attack, it will certainly help the BJP politically on the eve of election” he tweeted.
BJP leaders reacted to it sharply. “Such remarks are uncalled for and should not have come from a senior Congress leader. The party (Congress) has already accepted defeat in Karnataka,” said BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi.
some Congress leaders suspected the hands of RSS in the blast which erupted mudslinging between the leaders of both the parties.
Though The Congress tried to distance itself from Shakeel Ahmad’s statement by saying that the party never plays politics in dealing with terrorism and urged all parties not to politicise the issue, it was too late.
Meanwhile National Investigating Agency teams have arrived at Bangalore. Union Home minister Suhseel Kumar Sindhe has ordered an investigation in to the incident. ENN
TWISTS AND TURNS
• Explosion near BJP office in Malleshwaram Bangalore
• At the first instance it was suspected to be a cylinder blast
• 16 people injured –Two are serious
• Senior police officials rush to the area
• Injured admitted to nearby hospital
• City Police Commissioner confirms it was a bomb blast
• Home minister describes the attack was targeted at BJP leaders
• Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad tweets that the blast favor BJP in polls
• BJP reacts sharply by saying Ahmad’s reaction was uncalled for
• Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah says BJP trying to create sympathy
• Senior Congress Leader Vishwanath suspects the role of RSS in the act
• Union Home minister orders for a probe
• National Investigation Agency team arrives at Bangalore
