Detection of bomb renews ISI fears in Hyderabad

The presence of a large number of policemen and vigorous checking in the evening might have kept the miscreants away and they might have entered the cinema hall. Probably after realising that it would be impossible for them to plant the bomb in Parade Grounds, they may have left it at the theatre.Though senior police officials declined to blame the ISI for the incident, informed sources say the role of the Pakistani agency, which has infiltrated into Hyderabad in a big way, cannot be ruled out.

The “improvised varietyexplosive” that was recovered contained about 700 grams of urea mixed with kerosene and around 20 small nails. Three detonators were connected to a 9-volt battery which, in turn, was linked to a timer. The entire explosive was packed in a plastic container and stacked in a carry bag made of cloth. Forensic experts describe it as a “low-intensity device” which would have caused “limited damage”.

However, investigators are baffled at the similarities between the bomb and another explosive device which went off in a hotel near Shalibanda on January 3, in which two persons were injured. In that case too, 9-volt batteries and three detonators, besides kerosene mixed urea and small nails were used. The interesting similarity in the two cases is the use of kerosene mixed fertiliser as an alternative to gelatin and other explosives.