Blast in Margao kill one,Sanatan Saunstha hand suspected

Police said the blast,triggered at around 9.30 pm,also gutted three vehicles.

The scooter,which contained the explosive,was parked behind Grace Church located in the heart of the town. Yogesh Naik,another member of Sanathan Sanstha,the right wing Hindu outfit linked to Pragya Singh,is still critical at the hospital,police sources said.

A red alert was declared across Goa after the incident,Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande said.

Margao town,the south Goa district headquarters,is the assembly constituency of Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat. Police have also found a bag containing electric circuit about 20 kms from the blast site in Margao.

Nishad Bakhle,the owner of the Eterno scooter in which the explosive was kept,has also been traced at the Sanatan Saunstha office at Ramnathi in Ponda town 25 kms from Pananji which was raided following the blast,police sources said.

“We are not suspecting anyone at this moment but are not leaving anything to chance,” a senior police officer said.

The bag which also contained a watch besides an electric circuit was found at Sancoale village about 20 kms from the scene of the explosion which took place when a crowd had gathered to witness Narakasura effigy competition held before Diwali in Goa,Superintendent of Police (South) Allan D’Sa said.

Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik tonight confirmed the links of right wing organisation –Sanatan Saunstha — in the Goa bomb blast.

“The scooter which was carrying the explosives belong to Sanatan Saustha’s disciple Nishad Bakle.

“We are investigating the organisation’s link with the blasts,” Naik told reproters at the blast site.

State Home Minister along with chief minister Digamber kamat visited the blast site along with the senior officers from the bureaucracy.

The blast occurred few metres away from Narkasur effigy competition,a ritual which is held in the state on the eve of Diwali.

Police earlier had confirmed that two persons seriously injured in the blast belonged to Sanatan Saunstha. Melagunda Patil,a person who succumbed to the injuries was staying at Sanatan’s Ashram since last eight days while another injured — Yogesh Naik — also was an ashram inmate.

Till late night,the raids were going on at Ashram located at Ramnathi village,near temple town of Ponda,20 kilometre away from here. The ashram is a hub of Sanatan’s activities from where even a newspaper is published on daily basis.