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Rediff.com  » News » Bakery bomb had RDX, ammonium nitrate; Toll rises

Bakery bomb had RDX, ammonium nitrate; Toll rises

By Vicky Nanjappa
Last updated on: February 16, 2010 11:52 IST
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Forensic experts, who analysed the evidence collected from German bakery in Pune's Koregaon Park locality, have concluded that RDX was used to carry out the blast.

It has also been found that apart from RDX, ammonium nitrate too was used to put the bomb together.

"We have the CCTV footage. We have got some vital information from it," Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh told reporters in Pune. "We received the forensic report last night. It has been established that the presence of RDX, ammonium nitrate and petroleum hydrocarbon oil in it," the Commissioner said.

"Ball bearings and nut bolts too were used in the blast," he added.

Sources say that the bomb could have been triggered off in a hurry, as a waiter was about to reach for it on the hotel manager's instructions. Had this happened, they would not have been able to create the desired impact.

Sources told rediff.com that it is clear that the RDX was sourced from Pakistan while the ammonium nitrate was obtained locally.

The use of RDX clearly points to a foreign link in the case and we are examining the same, investigators pointed out.

The use of RDX and that too in such a large quantity is an indication that there has been a lot of planning involved in this attack. It is not very easy to source RDX and it could have either been sourced before the blasts or could have been stored with the Indian Mujahideen operatives a couple of months back.

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau say that it appears that the RDX was sourced in at the last minute. The IM would have taken such a big risk of procuring the RDX a couple of months back since any such movement could have led to suspicion.

However, one thing is clear from the investigation so far -- the German bakery was not the target.

The plan to undertake the blast was conceived at least 3 months back and information only goes on to suggest that the Osho Ashram was what they were looking to target. As has been said earlier too, the IM changed their plan at the last minute following the advisory regarding the Ashram and decided to target the German bakery.

Toll rises to 10

The toll in the February 13 blast went up to 10 after 24-year-old Abhishek Saxena from Lucknow succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.

Saxena, a Lucknow resident, died in the city-based Dudhrani hospital. He was a student of D Y Patil College.

His body has been handed over to his parents, police said.

For more on the Pune blasts, click here!

Additional Reportage: PTI

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Vicky Nanjappa