Pune: One injured in four minor blasts, fifth bomb defused

Pune: Four low-intensity bomb blasts in quick succession shook Pune on Wednesday evening injuring at least one person. While the first three blasts took place within a radius of one km at the Jungli Maharaj Road, the fourth blast was reported from the Garware Chowk.

According to reports, a fifth bomb was defused near a McDonalds outlet in the city.

Sources say wires connected with watches and detonators have been recovered from blast spots. The explosion were well planned, the sources added.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde confirmed that the blasts took place between 7:25 pm and 8:15 pm on Wednesday evening.

According to reports, while one bomb was placed in a garbage can, another was on a cycle carrier.

Bomb-disposal squads were rushed to the spot following the explosion.

The first three explosions took place near Dena Bank, Bal Gandharv theatre and a McDonalds outlet on the Jungli Maharaj Road, which is a popular hangout for the students in the city.

Notably, Shinde was supposed to visit Bal Gandharv theatre on Wednesday evening. He, however, cancelled the visit earlier on Wednesday.

Pune police commissioner Gulabrao Pol has, however, ruled out a terror attack saying, "It is not terror, it is some mischief. It is low intensity blast and took place at three spot."

While Pol described the explosions as an act of mischief but Union Home Secretary RK Singh said terror angle cannot be ruled out since it seems to be a planned attack.

According to the Home Secretary, a man allegedly carrying one of the bombs was injured in the explosions and has been taken into custody and is being interrogated, Singh said. He has been admitted to a local hospital.

The Pune police commissioner said the explosives carried by the injured man were kept in a cake box with sticky material, two detonators and a pencil cell.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guards (NSG) have been alerted following the blasts. NIA teams have been rushed from New Delhi and Mumbai to Pune.

(With Additional Inputs from PTI)