HYDERABAD: A day after two blasts rocked Hyderabad's busy Dilsukh Nagar area, reports indicate ammonium nitrate, a small quantity of explosives and iron nails were used in the bombs.
Initial reports on Friday copper wires used to tie several pieces of the bombs together, which were packed in aluminium containers.
It is also speculated a delayed timer was used for detonating the bombs used in the blasts. The delayed timer provides ample time for the bomb-planter to escape after placing the bomb.
Police on Friday gathered vital clues in the devastating bomb attacks in Hyderabad and also announced rewards for anyone providing information about the suspects seen in Dilsukh Nagar where the evening rush hour bombings on Thursday also maimed dozens.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the twin bomb blasts that rocked Hyderabad rose to 16 with two more of the injured succumbing to their injuries today while the Crime Investigation Department (CID) began the probe.
The toll could mount further as the condition of some of the injured is critical.
Intelligence sources on Thursday night said the modus operandi 'bombs on bicycles and choice of locations' pointed to the Indian Mujahideen, an amorphous group suspected to have carried out the May 2008 serial blasts in Jaipur, where too bombs were tied to eight brand-new sports bicycles.
Security sources said they also suspected the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Toiba, which had promised to retaliate after India hanged Afzal Guru for his involvement in an attack on Parliament in 2001.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said on Friday India had intelligence agency warnings of a security threat several days before two bombs went off in the city.
Two first information reports were registered at Saroornagar police station under the limits of Cyberabad police commissionerate. The case was later handed over to the CID.
National Investigation Agency with the help of Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory gathered clues from the sites of both the explosions.
Police get vital clues
Police on Friday gathered vital clues in the devastating bomb attacks in Hyderabad and also announced rewards for anyone providing information about the suspects seen in Dilsukh Nagar where the evening rush hour bombings on Thursday also maimed dozens.
Cyberabad Police Commissioner D. Tirumala Rao asked people for information about a young man seen in the area before the bombs went off.
Claiming that police had obtained many clues, Rao said he was confident the case would be cracked. He said investigations were on at a brisk pace.
Police are believed to have gathered revealing clues from CCTV footage.
"I don't think CCTVs have failed. Some images have been captured," Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters after a visit to the scene of attack on Friday evening.
Of the three CCTVs in the area, two are believed to have captured some images which may help the police in identifying the terrorists who planted bombs near two cinema theatres.
Pall of gloom
A pall of gloom descended on the otherwise busy Dilsukh Nagar Road while heart rending scenes were witnessed at hospitals.
There was palpable tension in Dilsukh Nagar where VIPs made a beeline while thousands gathered out of curiosity.
Besides Shinde and Azad, union ministers S. Jaipal Reddy, K. Chiranjeevi and Sarve Satyanarayana, BJP president Rajnath Singh, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi visited the blast site and hospitals.
Hundreds of people, mostly BJP and ABVP activists, gathered at the blast sites and raised slogans against terrorists and Pakistan.
Police had a tough time in controlling the crowds. Though police did not impose any restrictions on traffic, only few vehicles were on the roads.
Most shops and business establishments on the road was closed.
Opposition attack Shinde
Shinde faced anger over the attack from opposition politicians who questioned whether the government had done enough to prevent it after the warning. Police said two of three security cameras at the market were not working at the time.
No group claimed responsibility and Shinde said it was too early to make accusations.
Shinde said the government had warned states of an unspecified threat though no particular target was identified. "A general alert was given in the past two to three days to the whole country. And that's all," he added.
BJP - the main opposition party - termed the blasts a "massive failure" and slammed the UPA government on its claim that it was committed to fighting terrorism, while urging Shinde to follow it up with action.
"Show that you are committed to fight terrorism. Is the centre's role only to alert the states or help them stop acts of terror," Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said in the Lok Sabha after Shinde's statement.
Stating that the government and the opposition were not on the same page on handling terrorism, she said the two parties need to fight the menace jointly.
The BJP also blamed Pakistan for the terror attacks in Hyderabad, and asked the government to scale down relations with the neighbouring country and stop confidence building measures for the time being.
The explosions come less than two weeks after Afzal Guru's execution. (With inputs from agencies)
Cruiser motorcycles might not be very popular in India, but there is still a segment of buyers who prefer to buy these body style of bikes. While there is little option at the lower end of the segment, at high price brackets there are quite a few alternatives. Earlier this year, DSK Motowheels launched the Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro, which offers quite a lot to the cruiser enthusiast. Priced at Rs. 5.46 lakhs (Mumbai), the GV650 is significant value.
