Live bomb recovered as security intensified in Bangalore

An unexploded live bomb was recovered from a spot close to one of the nine blast sites in Bangalore.

Police on Saturday defused a live bomb that was recovered close to one of the nine places where blasts took place on Friday as public places like airport, railway stations and bus depots besides vital installations in Bangalore continued to be under intensive security.

A person wearing red T-shirt kept a bucket-shaped object in front of Hyderabad House on the Bangalore-Hosur Road, said Police Commissioner S Bidari.

It contained a microchip, a detonator and explosive material mixed with some oil. NSG guards and a bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot and defused it.

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Meanwhile, security at all key information technology and biotechnology companies was beefed up, police sources said. All major entry and exit points in the city were under tight police scrutiny.

Police squads continued to be deployed at various crowded areas of the city, some of which were targets of Friday’s terror strikes.

Police is also making sketches of a 22-year-old man according to description given by witnesses of Friday’s bomb blasts.

Sources in the Home Ministry in New Delhi said local modules of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba or the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) could be behind the serial attacks.

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Meanwhile, a team of Central security agencies which reached the IT city late last night found that low-grade ammonium nitrate was used in the explosions. Sources said small timer circuits were planted in the explosive devices to trigger the blasts.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has promised all assistance in the investigations. “We have put all our officers on the job and I will give other details in the Assembly on Monday,” said Yeddyurappa.