February 14, 2010 11:24 AM

printer

Chidambaram dismisses intelligence failure in Pune

Dismissing "intelligence failure" in the Pune blast, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the terrorists have hit a "soft target" like the German bakery which is frequented by foreigners and Indians alike. Addressing a press conference in Pune after visiting local hospitals to meet the injured in the terror attack, he maintained that the "hard targets" like the Osho Ashram and the Jewish Chabad House located near the bakery had been surveyed by US Lashker-e-Taiba suspect David Headley during his visit to India. Mr. Chidambaram said, the area was "in the radar" of terrorists for some time.The Home Minister said the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has taken over the case and constituted teams to investigate the blast. He announced a compensation of five lakh rupees to the families of those killed in the attack.<br/><br/>Terror struck Pune last night as a powerful bomb ripped apart a popular bakery near the Chabad House, killing nine people, including five women and injuring over 50 in the first major attack since 26/11 carnage. The improvised explosive device, kept in a packet outside the kitchen of the German bakery, exploded at around 7.30 pm when a waiter attempted to open it.<br/><br/>Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram has said that the anti terrorist squad has investigating the Pune bomb blast case with the help of forensic experts from New Dehli and explosive experts from army. He hoped that investigations would revel what kind of explosive used and suspects behind the blast soon. However, he has appealed to the media not to speculate on the issue. Talking to the reporters after his visit to hospitals and bomb blast site in Pune Mr.Chidambaram has confirmed the death toll in this blast in nine and the numbers of injured persons are 57. Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr. Ashok Chavan has announced a compensation of Rs. Five lakh each to keen of dead persons. He also said that the state government would bear the cost of treatment for the injured persons in the hospitals.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, the Home Secretary Mr G.K Pillai has said that none of the bodies which have been identified so far are that of foreigners .He said in New Delhi today that out of the nine, three bodies have been identified which are of Indians and for others' identification process is still going on.<br/><br/>After the blast took place at a German bakery in Pune last night, it was reported that one among the dead is a foreigner.Mr Pillai said among the injured, four are Iranians, two Sudanese, one Taiwanese, one German and two Nepalese. He said the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad is probing the incident and the National Investigation Agency would assist them.He hoped that more information on the blast will come by evening.

Most Read
View All arrow-right

No posts found.