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Goa blast: Suspect dead, minister denies links

October 20, 2009 11:16 IST

One of the suspects injured in the October 16 bomb blast in Madgaon, Goa, died on Tuesday morning.

Hospitalised at the Goa Medical College, Yogesh Naik had been in a critical condition.

Another suspect, Malgonda Patil, had succumbed to injuries on Friday night.

The police had registered a case against the duo under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian Penal Code for waging war against the nation.

Malgonda was from Sangli district of Maharashtra while Yogesh was a Goa resident.

Goa's Transport Minister Sudhin Davalkar, meanwhile, finds himself fighting off allegations that his family may -- in some way -- be linked to last Friday's blast.

Davalkar's wife spends three hours every day with Sanatan Sanstha, the Hindu right-wing group that has been accused of carrying out the blast. 

The scooter used to trigger the blast belonged to Nishad Bakle, a man related to the minister.

Davalkar has claimed that his wife volunteers with the Sanstha, and visits their ashram to meditate. Davalkar also said that his relative sold the scooter used in the blast a few months ago. There are also reports of the Goa government considering a proposal to ban the Sanstha for its alleged illegal activities.

Source: ANI