Patna attack: Series of blasts targets BJP rally

Police detain suspects; recover four more live bombs from the venue .

PATNA: At least five people were killed and dozens were injured as a series of small bomb blasts rocked Patna hours before a major campaign rally by India’s main opposition candidate, Narendra Modi.

Panic erupted briefly among the supporters gathered to hear the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) leader as six bombs exploded near the venue of Modi’s rally before he reached there to address a huge gathering.

Following the explosions authorities restored order, the rally went ahead as scheduled and Modi made no mention of the explosions during his hour-long speech.

Hours before these multiple explosions, a crude bomb went off in a newly constructed toilet at the Patna railway station, two kilometres from the BJP’s ‘Hunkar rally’ venue.

The first blast came from a crude device that exploded in a public toilet building on an isolated railway platform, the Patna district police chief, Manu Maharaj, said.

Another bomb went off near a cinema, and two more exploded just outside the park, sending plumes of grey smoke into the air above the crowd.

“All the bombs produced  low-intensity blasts,” Maharaj said. “An anti-sabotage team is investigating what happened.”

Five people were killed in the blasts and 83 were being treated for injuries, Times of India reported citing head of Patna Medical College hospital, Vimal Karak.

Condemning Sunday’s violence, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed for calm.

Patna police have recovered four more live bombs from Gandhi Maidan, the venue of the BJP rally, where six bombs had exploded in the morning ahead Modi’rally.

One person has been arrested and four others have been detained by the police in connection with the serial blasts that rocked the Bihar capital ahead of BJP leader’s rally killing five people.

The arrested suspect has reportedly confessed to carrying out a recce of Gandhi Maidan. The arrested suspect has told the police that he is a part of a 11-member gang.

Patna police have claimed to identify the organisation responsible for serial blasts ahead of Modi’s rally but refused to reveal its name.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the cops have got some important numbers and some leads from the arrested person.

“The day and timing of the serial blasts indicate that there was an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere in the state,” Kumar said addressing a press conference in the evening. agencies

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2013.