Enmity between two persons ignited Beed transistor blast

Within 48 hours of the incident, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has worked out the Beed transistor blast case in which four persons were injured on Friday night. Turns out, the accused - local radio repairer Munjappa Giri - who has been arrested, wanted to frame a man who had lodged a complaint of atrocities against him a few months ago.

The successful closure was brought about through a joint operation by ATS and local police, including Inspector General of Police (Aurangabad) Ritesh Kumar, Superintendent of Police (Beed) Dattatreya Mandlik, Superintendent of Police (ATS) Naveen Reddy and inspectors Shigwan and Shiva Thackery from the local crime branch and ATS (Aurangabad) respectively.

Following the blast, police found a receipt issued by a mobile shop from Ambejogai in Beed for a cellphone that was found inside the same bag that contained the transistor. The sales slip, dated August 21, was in the name of Gopinath Tarkase, a resident of Kendrewadi village in Ambejogai. Soon a team of ATS officers flanked by Beed police reached Tarkase's home, but during questioning he denied having made any such purchase.

On being probed further Tarkase disclosed his enmity with Giri that was conceived after the former had registered a case of atrocities against him. Tarkase also told the team that Giri and his wife had even tried to frame him in a case of molestation. The cops then laid a trap for Giri and arrested him from his residence.

During interrogation, Giri confessed that he had planted the explosives to trap Tarkase.

"Giri is a transistor repairer by profession. In order to frame Tarkase, he bought a cellphone from Kendrewadi in the former's name so cops would end up arresting him," said ATS chief Rakesh Maria.

Maria added, "On the day of the blast, the accused took a transistor from his shop and replaced the speakers with detonators, which are typically used by local fishermen to kill fish in the sea. The detonators were purchased for Rs 50 from his village. He then planted explosives in the transistor and placed it in a bag. The bag was then left in an ST bus that was plying from Ambewadi to Mumbai on November 29."

ATS officials added that in the past Giri had unsuccessfully attempted to frame Tarkase in a case of drugs and smuggling of sandalwood.

The bag that was left in the bus initially went unnoticed by passengers, ATS officers say. When the same bus was on its way back from Mumbai to Ambejogai, one of the commuters spotted the bag and brought it to Nimbalkar's notice. After the bus had travelled from Ambejogai to Latur and back, having exhausted his duty hours, Nimbalkar returned home with the bag assuming he would find some valuables inside. On opening it, however, he discovered a transistor. His attempt to play it after placing a cell in it triggered the blast.

According to the doctors, the conductor has lost four fingers each from both hands and has a fracture as well. He has multiple injuries. Both his eyes have suffered 70-80 per cent damage. His wife and son have also sustained injuries. The family has been shifted to Mumbai's JJ hospital. The local police had registered a case against unidentified persons under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 and 338 of IPC and Explosives Act.u00a0