Police believe that the bombs may have been planted by mischief mongers, and have ruled out any connection with terror outfits.

Crude bombs have city cops on toes

Police believe that the bombs may have been planted by mischief mongers, and have ruled out any connection with terror outfits.

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Just four days before the Centre sounded a high alert about four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists entering into Mumbai, the city police found three packets of crude bombs wrapped in Pakistani currency.

Terror: According to cops, the incident looked like the handiwork ofu00a0
mischief mongers who only wanted to create panic. Representation pics

On December 21, the Bharati Nagar police received a tip-off from a caller saying that an unclaimed packed was lying under the railway bridge near Millers Road, Hynes Junction. Sub inspector Byra went to the spot to check and found a black plastic bag. On close inspection, he found that there were three bundles wrapped inside, again wrapped in plastic.

Quick action
Byra immediately informed his seniors, who in turn summoned anti-sabotage and dog squads. Officials from the Intelligence Bureau too rushed to the spot for investigation. The team found that each packet contained around 2 kg of yellow-coloured explosive powder, mixed with bicycle ball bearings attached with a wick for ignition. Investigators also found two Pakistani currency notes wrapped in one of the covers. An explosive expert said, "By 11.45 am, all explosives were diffused."

A senior officer who supervised the investigations said that on the face of it, the whole incident looked like the handiwork of mischief mongers who only wanted to create panic.

Ruling out the possibility of a terror outfit ploy, he said that they would use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to carry out blasts and the seized material contained crude combination of explosives. Senior police officials refused to comment on the finding of the explosives.

The contents
Pack 1: Itu00a0 contained around 1.2 kg of metal pellets laced with potassium nitrate (used in fire crackers) aluminum powder and a wick to trigger the blast.
Pack 2:u00a0 It had 1.85 kg of ball bearings used in bicycles, metal pieces mixed with potassium nitrate.u00a0u00a0
Pack 3:u00a0 It contained 2.1 kg of aluminum nitrate, several metal pellets and 20 gm of potassium nitrate connected with a wick.

Security overdrive

>>Even as the Centre issued an alert regarding the four LeT terrorists, the city police went into an overdrive, deploying personnel at sensitive places including major installations and religious places.
>>As precaution all personnel have been told to be on a high alert. In addition, the commissioner has orders all major installation owners to take necessary steps for increased security.
>>He has also ordered to increase the number of webcams at sensitive areas. In addition, a paramilitary force of around 550 members have been called, and troops from KSRP, CAR, and RAF have also been deployed.
>>The city has around 25,000 police personnel, who have bee directed to be on an alert for the next five days.
--Inputs from Manjunath L Hanji