The Hindu : Front Page : Black bag, blast, bodies, panic; and frenzy among shopkeepers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 26, 2007
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Black bag, blast, bodies, panic; and frenzy among shopkeepers

M. Srinivas and Abhijit Dev Kumar

Culprits must have brought IEDs in a black bag and left it at the ice-cream counter: experts

Photos: G. Krishnaswamy, Nagara Gopal

Innocent victim: An injured person being treated at the Osmania Hospital in Hyderabad on Saturday. (Right): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Home Minister K.Jana Reddy at the blast site at Gokul Chat in Koti, Hyderabad. —

HYDERABAD: Forensic experts, who examined the blast sites Koti and Lumbini park, suspect that the culprits must have brought improvised explosive devices in a black bag and left it at the ice-cream counter that is at a height from the ground at Gokul Chat Bhandar.

As most of the deaths were due to head injuries to those sitting close to the counter, experts believe that the bag with the explosive substance was left there.

For 30-year-old Vijay, who sells ice-cream at Gokul Chat Bhandar, the blast hit him like a bolt from the blue.

“Though it was week-end, there was not much crowd. I was serving ice-cream to three customers around 7.45 p.m. when a powerful blast went off,” said a severely injured and dazed Vijay, a Bihari, who had been working in the shop for the past 15 years.

When he regained consciousness, all he found was heaps of unconscious persons and bodies all around him with bleeding injuries and blood soaked premises. Plates and glasses were strewn all over. He, however, did not recollect anyone carrying any bag.

There was some stone pelting incidents opposite Women’s College, Koti, but Rapid Action Force personnel brought the situation under control. With leaders of various political parties rushing to the blast spot and adding to the confusion and panic, the work of the Clues Team, looking for crucial evidence, got hampered.

Road blocked

The police later blocked the road from Andhra Bank to the Women’s College.

The blast set off frenzy among the shopkeepers and pedestrians.

Shopkeepers and pedestrians gathered their wits and stopped two RTC buses and autos, to take the injured to the nearby hospital.

“I put a child in an auto, and even as I was screaming at the helpful driver, asking him to rush the little one to hospital, life had ebbed away. We were helping a woman into the bus, when we realised with horror that a hand was almost severed. The first half an hour after the blast passed off in a daze with everyone around trying to help.

Absolute chaos

In the absence of officials and without an ambulance, it was absolute chaos,” said Ali, a shop assistant.

As bodies were brought out police had a tough time in controlling the onlookers.

“I saw people running out screaming and bleeding. The whole place was chaotic “said Mahender Aggarwal, secretary, Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh.

For a long time, the area echoed with slogans — more against the government.

Among those who visited the spot were Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, Home Minister K. Jana Reddy, BJP MLA G. Kishan Reddy and TRS Leader, A. Narendra.

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