27-10-2013 Six killed, 20 injured as serial blasts rock Patna ahead of Narendra Modis roar Six people were killed and more than 40 injured in a series of blasts in Patna before Narendra Modi’s rally in the Bihar capital on Sunday. Several of the blasts occurred in and around Gandhi Maidan, the venue of the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee’s rally.The first blast was a crude bomb explosion around 10am at Patna junction platform number 10. By 12.41pm, seven more blasts took place near Gandhi Maidan. All bombs were triggered off by timers. The explosives had been planted on three sides of Gandhi Maidan, where lakhs of people had gathered for the BJP’s Hunkar (battle-cry) Following the blasts, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to take “immediate and firm action” against the culprits, even as a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) rushed to Patna. The home ministry has asked the Bihar government to send a report about the nature of the bombs, suspects and the steps taken to maintain law and order. “We have sought a detailed report,” said a home ministry official. A team of explosives experts from the National Security Guard will also reach the blast site to help the Bihar police in investigations. “He (Singh) also assured the chief minister of all central assistance in the investigations,” said the Prime Minister’s Office. After the rally, Modi tweeted, “Blasts in Patna are deeply saddening & unfortunate. Condolences with families of deceased & prayers with injured. I appeal for peace & calm.” The BJP called the blasts a design to create panic and scuttle the rally. “We want a probe into the blasts. This is really unfortunate,” said BJP’s national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain. This is the first time serial blasts have occurred at Gandhi Maidan during a political rally in the past two decades. Bihar was witness to serial blasts inside the Mahabodhi temple complex in Gaya district on July 7. Eight low-intensity blasts occurred inside the ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site, but nobody was killed
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 10:30:30 +0000
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