Thaindian News

Mumbai, Aug 1 (IANS) An alert was sounded in Maharashtra and Home Minister R.R. Patil at a meeting here Wednesday reviewed the security in the state in the wake of four low-intensity blasts which rocked Pune, injuring one person, an official said.

The well co-ordinated blasts in Pune occurred between 7.27 p.m. and 8.15 p.m. at four locations on the busy Junglee Maharaj Road area of the state’s education and cultural capital.

Patil discussed the security situation with police and home department officials and was also in touch with the central government till late night, the official added.

The blasts came on the eve of the Raksha Bandhan festival, marking the beginning of the festival season, with Eid later in the month (Aug 20) and the 10-day Ganeshotsav starting mid-September.

After the serial blasts, security across the state was enhanced at crowded public places like railway and bus stations, theatres, cinemas, malls and hotels.

The type of explosive used in the Pune blasts, the method of triggering them and the group behind the blasts were still not known, the official said.

Security was beefed up in Mumbai following the Pune blasts with random checks on vehicles in different parts of the city, including the two national highways and approach routes from adjoining districts of Thane and Raigad.

Nearly two-and-half years ago, Feb 13, 2010, a major explosion had ripped through the German Bakery in Pune in the Koregaon Park area, killing 17 people and injuring 64 others.