Two crude bombs exploded in quick succession outside the M A Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bangalore on Saturday, minutes before an IPL match was to begin, leaving 15 persons injured and creating panic in the packed venue.
A third crude bomb was found near Gate number 8 of the stadium, venue of the fixture between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians, but was defused, police said.
The first two explosions took place at around 3.15 PM. A crude bomb hidden behind a plastic board near Gate number 12 exploded, leaving 15 persons injured, and damaging the compound. Police said all the injured were out of danger and only one was seriously injured. The second blast took place near Anil Kumble circle, where the bomb was kept hidden behind roadside bushes, but there were no casualties.
The blasts led to a delayed start of the IPL match at the stadium thronged by more than 35,000 spectators.
The injured included policemen and civilians, who suffered missile and scalp injuries and complained of "loss of hearing" and damage to ear-drums. They were treated at the nearby Mallya hospital. Forensic experts, anti-sabotage squads and explosive detection teams were pressed into service, City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said.
According to initial information, ammonium nitrate and other material normally used for making crude bombs were recovered from the blast sites. Karnataka Home Minister V S Acharya said the blasts appeared to be a "mischievous" attempt to create panic but the police were investigating it from all angles.
Acharya told PTI by telephone from his hometown of Udupi that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is in touch with the state government which was also in the process of sending a report to the Centre on the low-intensity explosions.
Pointing out that the blasts took place not inside the stadium or at its gates, he said police had undertaken "all the conventional checking". Police would now have to take "special care" in such scenarios in future. "Looks like it was done to create an alarm. We are investigating from all angles. It's a mischievous attempt to create panic", Acharya added.
Bangalore Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said the 10 persons undergoing treatment included a head constable, four constables, two security guards and three civilians. The City Crime Branch (CCB) has been entrusted with the investigations into the blasts.
Forensic experts, along with bomb disposal squads, conducted extensive searches around the stadium for explosive materials. The Royal Challengers were initially hesitant to play after the blasts but later took to the field. The match began after a 45-minute delay after police gave the green signal for it. PTI
