Hyderabad, August 27
Two days after the twin bombings that killed 42 persons, the city was today kept on the edge with a spate of hoax bomb calls even as the investigations made no headway in identifying the perpetrators.
Amid the BJP-sponsored shutdown, which evoked partial response, the police was kept on tenterhooks with a series of anonymous calls warning of imminent bomb blasts in several parts, including the secretariat.
Three hoax calls as well as two bomb scares sparked by unclaimed bags were reported, leading to panic.
Five bomb disposal squads searched the sprawling secretariat complex, housing the offices of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues. Chief Minister
Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was in his office when the search was conducted.
The impact of the shutdown, called by the BJP to protest against terror attacks, was near total in the city as shops, cinemas and educational institutions remained closed. Several senior BJP leaders were arrested when they tried to enter the secretariat.
Normal life was affected in the Telangana region but the shutdown call evoked lukewarm response in Rayalaseema and coastal regions.
Paradise Hotel, a popular food joint in Secunderabad, also received a bomb threat. Two unclaimed bags near Global Hospital in the busy Lakdi Ka Pul neighbourhood and the bus stand in Secunderabad area created a scare.
The investigation into the blasts was handed over to the special
investigation team headed by additional commissioner Punna Rao.
“We have collected physical evidence from the blast sites which will help us in identifying the terrorist group responsible for this act,” city police commissioner Balwinder Singh said.
Meanwhile, the blame game by political parties continued. The main opposition TDP maintained that the Chief Minister had lost moral authority to continue in office in the wake of the complete collapse of law and order.
A delegation of the party, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, met Governor N.D. Tiwari and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention to restore law and order.
“The safety and security of people is in grave peril under the chief ministership of Rajasekhra Reddy,” the memorandum said.
The Chief Minister, however, said the opposition should understand the “limitations of a state government” in the face of attacks by international terrorist organisations.
Meanwhile, the police has picked up 10 persons, including a few employees of Gokul Chat, for questioning. They include three suspects who reportedly provided iron balls for making the bombs.
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the victims from Maharashtra killed in the Hyderabad blasts.
The severely injured persons will get Rs 50,000 each, while those with minor injuries will get Rs 25,000 each, officials
said.— PTI
